Minister Metsubo Jamir addressing the midterm cum annual council meeting of Indian Engineers’ Federation (North East Region) at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on July 22. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 22
Minister for Rural Development, Metsubo Jamir graced the midterm cum annual council meeting of Indian Engineers’ Federation (North East Region) at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on July 22. INDEF is an apex body of conglomeration of engineers which contributes nearly 2 lakh employees to the state, central and private sector services.
The Minister said that engineers directly contribute to the wellbeing of society, and the individuals that make up that society. “Engineers work primarily in innovation either designing a brand new product or improving an existing one. These engineering innovations go on to make our lives easier, more comfortable, or productive,” he stated.
According to Jamir, some government initiatives that will definitely impact our region and where your contribution will be the deciding factor on the success or failure of these initiatives.
He said that India's Act/Look East Policy places the NE states on the territorial frontier of India's eastward progress. The NE region is strategically located with access to the traditional domestic market of eastern India, along with proximity to the major states in the east and adjacent countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar links with Southeast Asia.
‘With Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) engagement becoming a central pillar of India’s foreign policy direction, NE states play an important role as the physical bridge between India and Southeast Asia,’ he observed.
The NE has immense natural resources, accounting for around 34% of the country's water resources and almost 40% of India's hydropower potential, he said. The announcement by our India's Finance Minister for the execution of several rail, road and air connectivity projects worth Rs 1,34,200 crore in the northeast whose main objectives of these projects will help in bringing the rest of India closer to the NE and vice-versa, he said.
4,000 km of roads, 20 railway projects for 2,011 km and 15 air connectivity projects are being proposed. National waterways on the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Barak rivers (National Waterways (NW)-1 on the Ganges, NW-2 on Brahmaputra and NW-16 on Barak) are under development to provide better connectivity.
As the cost of travel through water is the least when compared to air, road and rail networks, the riverine systems of India and Bangladesh can be leveraged for all types of transportation. ‘Eastern Waterways Connectivity with Southeast Asian countries will also remain an area of focus of Transportation. It will connect the northeast with the rest of India by providing 5,000 km of navigable waterways,’ he said.
In particular to the NE region, ‘we are in a central point of development and progress; however we lack in so many essential developmental activities. This is further compounded by our topography and climate which are impediments to progress which require special methods and inputs, to overcome such problems to bring about development to our region,’ he said.
“The Indian Engineers' Federation (North East Region) must ensure that the local felt needs must be taken priority over everything else,” he said.
“On a wider note, our country is poised to become the largest market in terms of the health care technology and pharmaceuticals making our nation healthier, our country's road network are increasing by leaps and bounds enhancing communication and trade, our country's manufacturing capacity is surpassing most of the developed nations and our country has attained self-sufficiency in food,” Jamir said. “This has been all possible because your professionalism in your various fields,” he added.
Earlier, INDEF (NER) President, Er Pura Tupe delivered keynote address while FONSESA President Er Hutoi Sema delivered welcome address. Vote of thanks was delivered by FONSESA Secretary, Er Mezivil Kikhi.
The council meeting is hosted by Federation of Nagaland State Engineering Service Associations (FONSESA), which will continue till July 23.
