The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today announced Rs. 90 crore for "Northeast Hill Area Development" beginning from Tamenglong district on a pilot basis, in the first phase, for a period of two years.Speaking to media persons after inauguration the two-week "Northeast handicraft-cum-handloom Exhibition cum Sale Bonanza" here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said that he had made the commitment to introduce an exclusive hill area development programme during his visit to Imphal and the purpose behind this was to ensure equitable development of all the districts of the State, notwithstanding their diversities of topography, geographical conditions and other aspects. He said that with the kind intervention of Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, the funds have been approved, in principle, for which he thanked the Union Finance Minister.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) got engaged in a detailed discussion with the Department of Expenditure and it was realised that for pursuing the additional objective of public welfare, an additional vertical sub-scheme may be created under the existing schemes for the hill area development in the North Eastern States.Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh went around various exhibitions-cum-sale stalls put up by North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) under the aegis of Ministry of DoNER. He also offered suggestions to promote further sale of products and give a wider publicity to the product.Over the last three years, under the Central Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the handloom and textile products from Northeast have been given due boost. Two years back, for instance, he said, the first-ever Northeast permanent stall was opened at Dilli Haat under the name “Purbashree” . He said, the products on display have been innovatively designed for cosmopolitan use with latest designs, but produced with traditional Northeastern artisanship of Nagaland, Manipur etc. This is why, the exhibition is attracting people from all parts of the country to come and purchase these products, which is also a source of great inspiration and promotion to the local artisanship of the region.