DoNER to showcase NE as film destition

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, February 6: DoNER minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said his ministry is keen on showcasing the Northeast as a film destition, for which, plans have already been made.

“We have tried it with Jammu & Kashmir. We sent out a message to the Bollywood that Kashmir is now ready to be explored by it. We want to do the same with Northeast. Film makers have not yet exploited the region despite its potential,” Singh said here at a function.

He said a Mega Northeast Festival will be held in Delhi in April where the region’s potential will be showcased.

Similar initiatives have been lined up to bring the focus of the mainland India to the region.

He expressed concern at the exodus of the youth from the region to mainland India and said the resource drain has to stop. “We cannot afford the main resource (youth) of the region migrating to other states. We have to take care of this,” he said.

Dr Singh further said that his ministry is making efforts to act as a bridge between the region and Delhi.

“We are interacting with the NE MPs regularly. We have also launched a programme to organize camp secretariats in the region. We have held one such camp in Manipur and the second is going on at Itagar. The camps are intended to ensure that the people do not have to go to Delhi…Delhi will come to you. All secretarial works will be taken care of at the camps,” the minister emphasized, harping on the need to bridge the “psychological barrier” that exists between NE and Delhi.

He also mentioned that eight Union ministers will visit the region every fortnight, as per Prime Minister rendra Modi’s directives. “That will mean, every fortnight, one Union minister will be present in each state of the region,” he said.