IMPHAL, June 25: The 61st North Eastern Council Meeting is scheduled to begin with a brainstorming session which will be attended by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi along with chief secretary DS Ponia , director of Planning Department Th Munindro and joint secretary planning Kulkarni representing Manipur.
The meeting will be held on June 27 at the Main Conference Room of Parliament House, New Delhi.
Official sources mentioned that NEC Chairman and Minister of DoNER, Paban Singh Ghatowar will initiate the discussion of the ‘brainstorming’ session with the respective Governors and other state representatives of the North East regarding NEC and other developmental issues.
The 61st NEC Plenary will begin formally in the afternoon with the Council secretary, UK Sangma presenting his report. The later agenda includes discussions on the ‘Action Taken Report’ of the decisions taken at the 60th meeting of the NEC, discussions on the draft 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) and the draft annual plan of 2012-2013 of the NEC.
Evening agendas will include presentation by Ministry of Railways on the action plan of the North East Region, followed by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Civil Aviation and other discussions.
According to the NEC website, it may be mentioned that the schemes implemented in the state for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 includes, improvement of Tamenglong–Tamei road, upgradation of Churachandpur district hospital, establishment of blood bank at Shija hospital, upgradation of Hotel Imphal, renovation of Panthoibi Emporium, improvement of Kangpokpi Tamei road, construction of Churachandpur Circuit House, extension of Potato Breeding farm at Mao, revival of orchard cum nurseries, etc.
It may be mentioned that, the North Eastern Council constituted by an act of Parliament in 1971 is the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the North Eastern Region which consists of the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.