Scindia urges NE to update logistics policies

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said infrastructure projects in the north-east should be mapped on the PM GatiShakti Portal for better planning of future initiatives and urged all the states in the region to update their logistics policies as per the metric prepared by the DoNER Ministry, a statement said on Friday.
Scindia, the minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), virtually attended a high-level task force meeting on ‘Logistics, Infrastructure Connectivity in NER’ on Thursday.
He also asked all the states in the region to develop industrial clusters along transport corridors for the rapid economic growth of the north-east.
“The Union minister added that all the infrastructure projects in the northeastern region (NER) should be mapped on the PM GatiShakti Portal for better planning of future projects. “He urged all the NER states that they should update their state logistics policies, as per the metric prepared by the ministry based on the best practices throughout the country, preferably before the next NEC Plenary session,” the statement said, quoting Scindia.
The central minister also outlined five suggestions for bridging the gaps in infrastructure and connectivity.
These include convergence of NER infrastructure grids by preparing a regional master plan, establishment of a monitoring mechanism for priority projects, policy push for multimodal logistics park by way of offering various tax and other concessions, boosting cross-border connectivity to promote international trade with neighbouring countries and enhancing digital connectivity and power transmission.
The meeting was chaired by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Mizoram Minister of Public Health Engineering & Rural Development Prof Lalnilawma and Sikkim Minister of Commerce and Industries Tshering Thendup Bhutia, along with DoNER officials, were present at the meeting.
The Assam CM emphasised the strategic importance of the northeastern region as a gateway to Southeast Asia.
He pointed out that since 2014, the government has taken several steps to boost infrastructure connectivity in the northeastern region, but high transportation cost for goods remains a major bottleneck that needs to be addressed.
He also stated that the execution of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) has been expedited, and it will connect the NER to the Sittwe Port in Myanmar.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister highlighted that due to the high geographical spread and sparse population distribution in the state, there are a large number of villages that lack road connectivity.
He suggested that the high-level task force may explore providing connectivity to these villages through PMGSY and other relevant central government schemes.
He further stated that the air connectivity to the Hollongi Airport can be enhanced by increasing the frequency of flights.
Khandu also called for the need to reorient the North Eastern Council (NEC) to function as a think-tank, on the lines of NITI Aayog, for a holistic growth of the region.
The Mizoram minister highlighted the issue of high logistics fare in NER, due to which the cost of local produce and commodities increases by more than 20 per cent, making these items less competitive.
He also outlined the need for improving digital connectivity in the state.
The Sikkim minister pointed out that an alternative road alignment to the existing NH-10 needs to be developed as the national highway gets affected every year by torrential rainfall and landslides.
He emphasised the need for developing climate-resilient infrastructure in NER to boost trade with Nepal. During the meeting, critical gaps were discussed in the sectors of roads, railways, waterways, logistics and digital connectivity, the statement said.
To bridge these gaps, a comprehensive Infrastructure Master Plan must be formulated, it said.
The plan will be developed in consultation with all eight northeastern states and central ministries, ensuring a collaborative approach to regional development.
The key points of discussion during the meeting included identification of state-specific bottlenecks and challenges, critical connectivity gaps and prioritised infrastructure needs, integration of state budgets and national investments for capital formation, and an implementation roadmap for ‘Viksit NER @ 2047’.
Earlier this year, the Centre had formed eight high-level task forces, with each headed by one of the chief ministers of the NE region.