Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Dec 03, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Dec 03, 2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
Industry & Economy
-
Infrastructure N-E States showcase info-tech potential Our Bureau
Mr F.A. Khonglam, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, speaks on a mobile phone before the start of the CMs' round-table conference at INFOCOM 2002 in Kolkata on Monday. Mr Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, is also seen.
KOLKATA, Dec. 2 BETTER air and telecom connectivity coupled with proactive steps to overcome the `image problem' are prerequisites to investment in the Eastern and North-Eastern States, most of which offer liberal tax sops to attract investment. The investor community, however, is more wary of security concerns before they are prepared to commit investments in the North-East. This was evident at a round-table held here today under the aegis of Infocom 2002. Among the participants at the round table were the Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Meghalaya and Manipur, the Industries & IT Ministers of Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and the Chairman of Sikkim Industrial Development Corporation. All the participating States sought to showcase their offerings in their endeavour to attract IT investments to their respective States. While Arunachal Pradesh presented a strong case for application of IT in bio-diversity management, Assam and Manipur showcased the potential for application of IT in the handicrafts, handlooms and textiles sectors. The representatives of the North-Eastern States admitted that the region was faced with an "image problem'' but assured prospective investors that the perception of militancy in the region was vastly exaggerated in people's minds. The Chief Minister of Manipur, Mr Okram Ibobi Singh, said that lack of employment opportunities was driving people to militancy on the outskirts of Imphal. Mr P.D. Rai, Chairman of Sikkim Industrial Development Corporation, was sanguine that development and investment in the North-East was dependent upon "more vibrancy''.
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2002, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|