The North East Trade and Investment Roadshow, organised by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER) was successfully held in Kolkata on Monday where over 600 prominent companies showcased their keen interest in the investment prospects within the region.
The event was graced by the Minister of State, MDoNER, B.L. Verma, and senior government officials from the Ministry and the States from the North East.
MoS Verma spoke about the developments that the North East Region has witnessed over the past 9 years, elaborating on how the region is poised to achieve many more milestones as an upcoming investment hub in various sectors that present immense opportunities for trade and commerce. He informed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had named the Region as ‘Ashtalakshmi as he aims to advance the development of North East further in terms of growth trajectory.’
He mentioned that there are immense opportunities in the sectors of power, connectivity, agriculture, education, health, textiles sports and tourism etc., to look forward to, and investors must visit to gain an understanding of these opportunities.
Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MDoNER, emphasized the remarkable progress in the region, adding that connectivity has been a major force driving this development and will continue to grow, encompassing roads, railways, airways, and digital connectivity.
He pointed out that tourism potential has increased in the Northeast, with the private sector investing significantly in the hospitality sector. Kumar further highlighted that there is no dearth of skilled manpower in the region, specifically the IT sector and IT-enabled services are special beneficiaries of this skilled workforce. He urged investors to seize the first-mover advantage in the region.
Anuradha S. Chagti, Joint Secretary, MDoNER, highlighted the region’s favourable land-to-population ratio, rich biodiversity, and infrastructure enhancement. She shed light on the considerable investments from Central Ministries, including the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region, over the years. Notably, she stressed the PMDevINE scheme, which is designed to boost infrastructure, social development and livelihood.
Chagti emphasised the region’s rich pool of resources, abundant fossil fuel reservoirs, a dynamic and youthful workforce, which coupled with its strategic proximity to Southeast Asia, is making it an imperative investment hub. In addition, she outlined key sectors for potential investments, including Agriculture and Allied, Education and Skill Development, and Entertainment and Sports etc.
Government officials from the State governments of the North East, NEDFi, FICCI (Industry Partner), and Invest India (Investment Facilitation Partner) delivered valuable insights to investors regarding the prospects in critical sectors of the Region. Each of the North Eastern states made elaborate and attractive presentations showcasing their investment opportunities. The event saw active participation from investors, industry stakeholders and entrepreneurs.
The Kolkata Roadshow witnessed several B2G meetings generating potential interest from investors in the North Eastern States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, and Nagaland.
