Shillong : Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged the eight Northeastern states to fully utilise available budgetary provisions and ensure complete implementation of the recommendations made by the High-Level Task Force on the development, prosperity and preservation of the region’s cultural identity.

Addressing the 73rd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong on Thursday, Shah said the future development priorities of the Northeast should be guided by the task force’s recommendations and stressed the need for coordinated efforts to accelerate growth across the region.

The Union Home Minister said all Northeastern states could benefit from the establishment of ancillary industries linked to major investments announced during the Rising North East Investment Summit, particularly by locating supporting units in smaller states to promote balanced regional development.

Highlighting the region’s growing economic potential, Shah said the Northeast has attracted investment commitments worth nearly Rs 4.25 lakh crore, apart from proposals received during Assam’s investment summit. He pointed to key projects such as the semiconductor manufacturing plant in Assam, the development of the Northeast as a healthcare hub, and the Namrup Ammonia-Urea Complex as major growth drivers.

Shah also called for regular monitoring of the Single Window Clearance mechanism, urging chief ministers and governors to review its functioning every month to ensure faster implementation of investment proposals.

Emphasising the importance of infrastructure and connectivity, he sought the timely completion of multimodal logistics hubs in Guwahati, Imphal and Agartala, describing them as crucial to enhancing trade and economic integration within the region.

The Home Minister further encouraged all Northeastern states to achieve self-sufficiency in fish, egg and milk production. He said the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), in partnership with the Ministry of Cooperation, plans to supply more than 50,000 milch animals annually to the region from the next financial year while building a robust cooperative network for milk collection and marketing.

Shah identified infrastructure connectivity, planned urbanisation and the development of 15 high-potential sectors as key priorities for the Northeast’s future growth. He also highlighted the strategic significance of the Sabroom Land Port in Tripura, describing it as an important gateway for expanding trade with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved cluster development projects worth Rs 65 crore in Assam and Tripura.

He also noted that nearly 215 products from the Northeast have the potential to secure Geographical Indication (GI) tags and urged state governments to establish dedicated task forces to expedite the identification and registration process.

Speaking to reporters after the plenary session, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said Shah had outlined a clear roadmap for the NEC and the eight Northeastern states for the next 12 months.

Scindia said the Northeast was progressing steadily under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence that the region would emerge as the “Ashta Lakshmi” of India as the country advances towards the vision of Viksit Bharat.