North - East Festival - Aspirant Learning

At the occasion of the North East Festival, the President of India announced North – East of India is the gateway to South – East Asia.

Ministry – Ministry of Development of North-East Region
Other organisations involved in the event are North Eastern Council (NEC)
Aim of Organising Festival : To bring the rest of India closer to the north-eastern part of the country.
Recent edition held at Guwahati , Assam.
The seven-day celebration, held at the regional and state levels, aims to highlight the achievements of the North Eastern Region in the spirit of “Hum KisiSe Kum Nahi.”
The Festival will also honour athletes from the North Eastern region by hosting a one-week sports tournament in Imphal on May 3, 2022.
The States will also be celebrating the entire week in a Jan Bhagidari mode, with a variety of activities and events.

Strategic Importance
- The Indian North Eastern Territory is a landlocked region with no access to the sea. The presence of the Siliguri Corridor, dubbed “chicken’s neck” in India, complicates matters.
- The NER is strategically positioned, with access to eastern India’s traditional home market, as well as close to key eastern states and neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Bridge Between India and Southeast Asia
- With ASEAN involvement becoming a fundamental pillar of India’s foreign policy strategy, the NE states play a critical role as a physical link between India and Southeast Asia.

Key Pillar of Act East Policy
- Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia, is physically next to the North Eastern Region. As a result, it has the potential to serve as the ‘Gateway to Southeast Asia’ for India.

Economic Significance
- Growth Potential : Many experts consider the northeast region as the next growth engine of India because the region is rich in economic resources like coal. The NER is rich in natural resources, accounting for over 34% of India’s water resources and nearly 40% of the country’s hydroelectric potential.
- Hydel Energy : The existence of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries means that the North-Eastern region has enormous hydroelectric energy potential.
- Conventional Energy Resources : The Digboi oil reserves in the northeast have been a source of crude oil and natural gas. The Arakan Basin has been discovered to have potential oil and natural gas reserves.
- Agriculture Resources : Other than energy resources the northeast region is also blessed with various agriculture resources like Assam’s tea plantations generate a substantial amount of foreign exchange for the government. Bamboo is also valuable in the cane and furniture industries. Mizoram’s Bird’s Eye Chilli bears the Geographical Indication (GI) label.
- Tourism : Due to its beautiful green terrain, distinctive tribal culture, fresh air, agreeable climate, and different topography, the North Eastern region has the potential to become a tourism hotspot. It has the potential to be used for eco-tourism and rural tourism.

Environmental Significance
- Carbon Sink : As part of the Paris Summit, India pledged to produce an additional 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon sink each year as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions. With its vast forest cover, North-Eastern India can play a significant part in this endeavour. In terms of forest cover, Mizoram is India’s best state.
- Biodiversity : Northeast region is considered as hub of one of biodiversity in India. It is home to many threatened species like hornbills , one horned rhinos , and clouded leopard. It is part of the Indo – Burma hotspot.
Cultural Significance
- Northeast region is home of varied type tribes that have unique culture .Popular festivals include Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, Pang Lhabsol of Sikkim, etc.

Insurgency
- The lack of political and social stability in the country is one of the key reasons for the region’s lack of growth. The region’s tribal communities have not entirely accepted the British legacy’s artificial boundaries, which is exacerbated by political opportunism.
Difficult Terrain and Connectivity
- Majority of the northeast region is mountainous in character which hinder the government from ensuring physical connectivity projects like expressways.

Infrastructure Projects
- North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS)
- Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP),
- Digital North East Vision 2022
- Mission Purvodaya
Agriculture Measure
- Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD-NER)
- Sub Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP)
Political Efforts
- North Eastern Council (NEC)
- Peace Accords with Nagas and Bodos

Source – PIB

North – East Festival