The North East Region (NER) would require Investments worth Rs 1,10,00,000 crore by the year 2020 to bring it at par with the rest of the country. This estimate has been made in the Vision 2020 document for the NER. Currently under finalisation, the Vision 2020 has identified key areas where these funds would need to be spent.

Minister for Development of North East Region Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said these investments would require a combination of public, private and foreign funding, and only then it could reduce the gap between the region and the rest of the country. Aiyar was speaking at the conclusion of the 55th Plenary of the North East Council on “Poverty Eradication”.

The minister admitted that a major portion of these investments would need to go towards infrastructure upgradation. Other areas identified in the Vision 2020 document include “empowerment of people through participatory Government, agricultural growth and rural development, industry and services and capacity building.

A committee has been set up to examine this document.