It is time for the people of the North East to ask what they have contributed to the growth of the country instead of asking what the central government has given us, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said during the the Young Leaders Connect-8 plenary session.
“In our frame of mind, an idea was adopted regularly. What nation, what did the center give us? We never think about what as a citizen “I brought to the nation”. That’s the mindset I want to change,” Singh said to rapturous applause.
Biren Singh agreed with Arunachal Chief Minister and North East Leaders Connect board member Pema Khandu who said now is the time for the North East to play a major role in India’s quest to become a $5 trillion economy.
“In the Northeast, people sleep at 6 p.m. But go beyond Bihar, you will see people working very hard till late,” Singh added.
Taking a strong stance against deforestation in the region, Biren added, “Many areas in the hills are unused. Instead of practicing jhum cultivation, why not start terrace plantations in Manipur? »
Singh also pointed out that the state has made great strides in its fight against the threat of drugs. “About 90% of poppy growing areas in Manipur have been converted to alternative plantation crops,” he added.
Thanking the dynamic Chief Minister Biren Singh for his hospitality, Arunachal CM Pema Khandu referred to the 2021 Conclave in Tawang and the Tawang Declaration. “The time has come for the North East to play a major role in India’s quest to become a $5 trillion economy. Khandu focused on questions the conclave could answer, such as how the North East’s GDP could grow from India’s current 3% GDP contribution, and why North East states still receive less than 1% of India’s foreign tourists,” asked CM Khandu.
The first session of the Conclave saw Gaurav Gogoi, MP, Lok Sabha and NELC Board Member thanking the efforts of NELC and YLC to change the perception of the region. “When we started the conclave 10 years ago, it was to recognize that we accepted our challenges, but it was to tell the rest of the country about our glorious past. Through young leaders, we have found incredible brand ambassadors in various fields,” Gogoi said.
“The beauty of this (Youth Leaders Connect) is that it was born from the North East: our shared love and passion for the North East. We are quite proud to continue to grow: people who are not from the North east but who have traveled to the northeast. Thanks to this conclave, we have a host of new young leaders to be proud of,” speaking of Commonwealth Games medalist Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Roshan Farhan, co-founder of Go Billion,” Gogoi added.
G Gaichanglungliu Kamei (IRS), Commissioner of Income Tax (Admn. & GST), NER, Guwahati, Assam, delivered the closing remarks and thanked the speakers for their insightful comments. She also thanked the participants, especially the young people, and said she hoped to see some of them play a much more active role in the future of the region.
The North East Leaders Connect (NELC) is a vibrant community and network of like-minded leaders and achievers from North East India with a vision to act as a catalyst for fostering a vibrant economy and robust, good governance, sustaining ecology, and preserving our cultural identity.
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