Shillong/Aizawl, June 1 (IANS) The crucial meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) will be held in Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong, on 4 June, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is the Chairman of the regional planning body, likely to preside over the meeting, officials said on Monday.

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is the Vice-Chairman of the NEC, will also attend the meeting.

A senior NEC official said the Governors and Chief Ministers of all eight Northeastern states are expected to participate in the 55-year-old regional council’s meeting, which plays a key role in planning and coordinating development initiatives across the region.

In a post on its X handle, the NEC said: “This important gathering will bring together leaders and stakeholders to deliberate on key initiatives for the growth, connectivity, and sustainable development of the Northeastern region.”

Ahead of the plenary session, Mizoram Governor General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd) on Monday reviewed the state’s preparations for the 73rd NEC Plenary Session scheduled to be held in Shillong, Meghalaya. The review meeting was held at the Lok Bhavan Conference Room in Aizawl.

During the meeting, the Governor underscored the Union government’s strong commitment to the development of the Northeastern states and stressed the need for ensuring that Mizoram’s developmental priorities receive due attention during the upcoming plenary session. He urged all line departments to make every possible effort to effectively present the state’s key concerns, proposals, and developmental requirements before the NEC.

Secretary of the Planning and Programme Implementation Department, David Lalthantluanga, made a detailed presentation on the follow-up actions taken on decisions and initiatives relating to Mizoram that emerged from the 72nd NEC Plenary held in Agartala, Tripura, in December 2024. He also briefed the meeting on the status of various ongoing projects being implemented under the NEC and the Ministry of DoNER.

These include NEC-funded projects, NESIDS (Roads), NESIDS (OTRI), and PM-DevINE projects, all aimed at strengthening infrastructure and accelerating socio-economic development in the state.

The officials further discussed and finalised key issues and proposals to be raised during the NEC Plenary Session, focusing on the overall welfare, infrastructure development, and economic growth of Mizoram.

Among those present at the review meeting were Sudhir Kumar, Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, and senior officials of all important departments.

–IANS

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