Kohima, Nov 10 (PTI) Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh on Monday underscored the North East’s growing role in India’s development journey.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-III composed of eight NE states here, Harivansh said the legislature remains the cornerstone of democracy and must act as the bridge between policy and people.
He said the conference’s theme, ‘Policy, Progress & People: Legislatures as Catalysts of Change’, reflects the contemporary challenge of balancing development with social and environmental responsibility.
Harivansh noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047, and that each state must contribute by aligning its priorities with this national vision.
“Every state must achieve its respective targets and priorities, which will together help India attain this ambitious goal,” he said.
He highlighted the government’s focused efforts to address the socio-economic aspirations of the North East, citing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nearly 70 visits to the region and continuous ministerial engagements as evidence of the region’s central place in India’s development agenda.
“The North East, with 4 per cent of India’s population and 8 per cent of its area, has shown what focus and persistence can achieve,” Harivansh said. He pointed out that budgetary provisions for the region have risen sharply — from about Rs 24,500 crore in 2014 to a targeted Rs 1.8 lakh crore in the current financial year.
He added that connectivity has improved significantly, with 6,000 km of new national highways and over 45,000 km of rural roads completed under the PMGSY. “By the end of this year, every village in the North East will be connected by 4G,” he said, noting that internal connectivity is now being prioritised alongside links with the rest of India.
Harivansh also pointed to industrial progress, mentioning the upcoming semiconductor plant at Jagiroad, Assam, which is expected to produce 48 million chips and create 15,000 direct jobs, boosting the regional economy.
He urged that development must remain in harmony with nature, stressing that the North East, rich in ecology and biodiversity, serves as the “lungs of the earth”. He called for sustainable policies, especially in light of the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters, and said the ongoing energy transition would open new opportunities for the youth.
Highlighting Nagaland’s potential, Harivansh said its 650 indigenous medicinal plants and 46 species of bamboo could be harnessed for economic benefit while maintaining ecological balance.
He praised Nagaland’s growing reputation in organic products, handloom, and coffee production, expressing hope that Naga shawls and chillies would gain wider global recognition.
Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker and Chairman of CPA India Zone-III chairman Sharingain Longkumer, in his welcome address, said hosting the CPA Zone-III Conference in Kohima after 18 years was a moment of pride.
The last conference was held in 2007 under the late Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie.
Longkumer said the CPA Zone-III, formerly the North Eastern Regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) established in 1996 under late Purno A Sangma, has served as an important platform for regional cooperation and legislative exchange.
“The North East, with its diverse tribes, languages and traditions, stands as a shining example of unity in diversity and democratic spirit,” he said, adding that Nagaland has contributed immensely to nation-building through its commitment to peace and harmony.
He said the conference theme encapsulates the legislators’ duty “to translate policies into progress and ensure people remain at the heart of governance”. The two plenary topics — “Role of Legislature in Achieving Viksit Bharat 2047” and “Climate Change in the Light of Recent Cloudbursts and Landslides in the North East” — reflect the dual priorities of growth and sustainability, he added.
“Climate change is no longer a distant concept but a pressing reality”, Longkumer said, calling for stronger legislative and policy responses to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience in the region.
The NLA Speaker urged legislators to renew their commitment to strengthen parliamentary democracy, deepen regional cooperation, and ensure legislatures serve as true catalysts of change.
Speakers, Deputy Speakers, legislators and presiding officers from across the North Eastern states are attending the two-day conference inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in the presence of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. PTI NBS NBS RG
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