Dimapur: The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR)-North Eastern Regional Centre (NERC) conducted an off-campus write shop on development strategy for the northeastern states, its priority areas, concerns, and the way forward at the State Institute of Rural Development in Kohima, Nagaland on Tuesday.
Representatives from 15 departments of the region participated in the workshop.
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In his inaugural address, director, NIRDPR-NERC, Dr R Murugesan said the write shop will cover the broader indices of development core sectors of the rural economy, connectivity, infrastructure and services, health and nutrition, skill development and employment, rural industries, banking, and tourism sector.
Briefing on the course on development strategy, Dr MK Shrivastava, assistant professor, NIRDPR-NERC, said the prime objective of the write shop is to formulate a calibrated strategy for the development of the state with a focus on rural areas.
This will help in identifying the competitive advantages of sectors and products, determining the gaps and setting priorities, paving the way for action plans assessing risk factors, and bringing together different institutions to take initiatives to enhance rural connectivity for raising the standard of the people.
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He noted that despite northeastern states being endowed with natural resources and a vibrant cultural identity, the region struggles with issues like weak infrastructure, limited access to markets, and social inequalities. The conflict like the one in Manipur adds to the difficulty, he added.
Shrivastava said development is a process that creates growth, progress and positive change in economic, environmental, social and demographic component without damaging the resources of the environment.
He asserted that sustainability development is important for development because it can help reduce poverty, improve resource efficiency, and make communities more resilient.
In order to uplift the economy, Shrivastava said, focused efforts are required, taking into account both strengths and weaknesses to develop a sustainable development strategy that will enable the state to utilise its rich natural resources and other resources in a sustainable way.
“This will involve refocusing on sectors that offer competitive advantages in order to minimise the resources deficit, cover up development deficit and accelerate the pace of development,” he stressed.