Guwahati: In a candid interaction with Business Northeast, APCS Bamin Tarang, Director of Human Resource Development and Employment (HRD&E) at the North Eastern Council (NEC), walked us through the development agenda of the Council for the region, focusing on a general sweep of filling developmental gaps and underpinning initiatives at the state level.
As per Tarang, the NEC's fundamental responsibility is to function as a ancillary body that complements development in sectors that are either neglected or insufficiently covered by state governments or central government ministries. "We scrutinize the entire spectrum of development ranging from agriculture and allied industries to tourism, industry, science and technology, human resource development, and intellectual property rights," he stated.
The Council follows a sectoral approach with the assurance of focus areas through individual directorates. Among these are areas of strategic focus, such as Human Resource Development and Employment (HRD&E), which is led by Tarang. Commenting on recent initiatives in this sector, he explained that NEC has recently approved projects to enhance infrastructure in schools in the Northeast. "In our recent EIMC and sectoral appraisal committee meetings, we sanctioned hostel construction schemes for Government College Kanki and Government College Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The same has also been brought forward for Hemo Prova Borbora College in Golaghat, Assam," he added.
When questioned on other initiatives of a larger scope in other sectors, Tarang informed that many on-going projects are funded by the Council in all eight of the northeastern states. These comprise routine state-suggested projects along with funding for central institutes like the IITs. Due consideration is also provided to backward and far-flung areas through the Council's Focus Development Component.
Emphasizing NEC's entry into the region's developing startup ecosystem, Tarang launched a major initiative NEC Ignite. "The NEC has collaborated with IIT Guwahati on this initiative, which is being executed through BIRAC's Bionest incubation center," he said. "The program not only fosters budding startups but also offers financial support to enable them to amplify their innovations".
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NEC Ignite targets innovation and entrepreneurship through the provision of assistance to early-stage startups within the region. The program is part of the Council's larger vision of creating a knowledge-based economy within the Northeast through investment in human capital and in research facilities.
Tarang reaffirmed the commitment of the Council to region-specific and inclusive development in concluding remarks. "With sectoral strategies and targeted financing, NEC aims to bridge regional gaps and strengthen institutions and communities where assistance is urgently needed," he explained.
The North Eastern Council, under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), remains an important actor in defining the development story of the Northeast by recognizing structural deficiencies and facilitating long-term socio-economic development.
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