The popular Naga shawl
Utpal Borpujari /New Delhi
The Centre has unveiled a plan to open showrooms and counters to sell handloom products from the North East states at airports across the country as well as in various locations in the metros and other cities.
The government is also developing digital shopping interfaces focused on products from North East states to capture online customers, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has said.
Briefing the Consultative Committee of DoNER in Jammu on Thursday, he said 20 per cent rebate on freight charges and 30 per cent rebate on air cargo were being given for the products produced in NE region.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to ensure fast-track development in the North east region, Dr Singh told the Committee members that there was a need to highlight special qualities of each state for developing its unique identity alongside the collective identity of “North East”.
He said that this would provide developmental, economic, cultural and political identity and impetus to each of the NE states, and added that there was a need to synergize the efforts of the Ministry with that of the State agencies concerned for overall development of the region.
Responding to various issues raised by the members of the Consultative Committee regarding the need for expanding markets, Dr Singh said the DoNER Ministry was also exploring areas of collaboration with other Ministries to tap domestic and international markets.
He said the Ministry would focus on aligning with State agencies of other States to provide mechanism of selling to each other Handloom and Handicrafts products.
Dr Singh further said that theme-based cultural regional festivals were being organized in various parts of the country to promote tourism in the North East, and also mentioned various projects in the field of Horticulture that were being implemented in PPP mode in the North East.
Students’ hostels and Convention Centers are being constructed in New Delhi for cultural hubs of the NE region, he said.