The Hindu Business Line : Ministry-led team to take part in NE Council meet

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Kolkata March 6 The Union Commerce Ministry, for the first time ever, is bringing a high-power delegation to Guwahati for participating in the special meeting on March 9, with the North Eastern Council (NEC).

The interactive session, according to the Ministry sources, will be chaired by Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Minister in charge of Development of North eastern Region (DONER), with participation by the Governors and Chief Ministers of Northeastern States.

Participants' list

The team, led by the Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, will include the Chairman of Tea Board, Mr Basudev Banerjee, Chairman of Kochi-based Spices Board, Mr V.J. Kurien, Chairman of Rubber Board, Mr Sajan Peter, Chairman of Coffee Board, Mr G.V. Krishna Rau, and Chairman of the Delhi-based Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), Mr K.S. Money.

Chairmen of all commodity boards will make detailed presentations on the activities of their respective organisations in the Northeast and also highlight the schemes being launched in the eight Northeastern States. The NE region accounts for 55 per cent of the country's tea production and 8 per cent of natural rubber cultivation.

Industry push

The Commerce Ministry has launched a new initiative to give a push to revival and rejuvenation of the tea industry in the Northeast as also to expansion of the spices, rubber, coffee and horticultural industry in the region.

Land customs stations at Moreh (Manipur-Myanmar border), Nathu La (Sikkim's border with China), Agartala (Tripura's border with Bangladesh) and Sutarkandi (Assam's border with Bangladesh) are being upgraded into integrated check-posts with full amenities, funds for which have been earmarked.

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