Newmai News Network Aizawl | April 10 Union Minister for Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh said that the Central government is giving priority to improvement of connectivity for development of the entire Northeast region. “Connectivity factors have to be taken care for development in the Northeast region and it is important to make a roadmap for development,” Singh said while addressing a workshop on Development of Rural Sector by enhanced steel usage in Infrastructure & Housing and Increasing Agri-Horti income of the North East here late Monday evening. Singh, who arrived in Aizawl on Monday, said the BJP led Central government has taken efforts in various fields for development of Northeastern region. He stated that the Union cabinet has approved the entire schemes of North Eastern Council (NEC) last week and the block grant for NEC special development project has been increased from 90:10 pattern to 100 per cent. Steel Joint Secretary Ruchika Chaudhry Govil, who accompanied the union minister, said steel ministry is focusing on this region to stimulate the demand. She informed that the centre has allocated Rs 45,000 crores for the NE and the border regions and the government is giving top priority to NE to meet steel requirement of the region. The workshop, which was jointly organized by MSTC and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the two public sector enterprises under Ministry of Steel, aims at promoting use of steel in the Northeast region.
