Empowering NortheasT India for Viksit Bharat @2047

Viksit Bharat @2047 is the target-specific development vision of India to become a developed nation which is internationally inclusive, innovative and competitive country by the 100th year of Independence. To realize this vision, a balance in regional development, equity in opportunity, innovation, and most of all, the engagement of all states and communities are needed. Northeast India has a great strategic, economic, cultural and ecological role in this national journey. The region has a huge potential to become one of the major drivers of India's future growth because of its rich natural resources, exceptional biodiversity, rich indigenous culture and strategic geographical position of the region which provides connectivity between India and South East Asian countries. However, Northeast India has its own developmental problems which demand continuous policy intervention, institutional help and innovative solutions, notwithstanding the inherent strengths. It is believed that the transformation of Northeast India is not only a need of the region but a need of the country for which this book is conceived. The growth of the region is closely intertwined with India's economic development, national security, environmental sustainability, and international relations, including the Act East Policy and regional connectivity initiatives. The Northeast region with its enhanced human capital, sustainable utilization of natural resources, entrepreneurship, innovation and inclusive governance will be able to make significant contribution to fulfil the broader goal of Viksit Bharat. Based on the above backdrop, the book aims to explore the Northeast India's role to achieve the vision of a developed India by the year 2047. The vision of 'Viksit Bharat @2047' is not just about economic development, but also about building an inclusive, sustainable, technologically advanced, culturally rich, and socially inclusive India. Northeast India with its ethnic diversity, youth, hydropower resources, tourism potential, biodiversity and strategic location is a gateway to Southeast Asia and it has historically been on the periphery of mainstream development discourse. This book seeks to fill this gap by providing a thorough analysis of opportunities, requirements, policies, and developmental trajectories for empowering the Northeastern states in line with national development targets. It aims to bring this to the fore how empowering Northeast India is not just important for the prosperity of the region but is crucial for achieving a balanced and holistic national development. The scope of the book is wide, multifaceted and interdisciplinary, covering various developmental themes, which are important for the future of North East India and its contribution to the dream of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’. The book covers critical aspects including entrepreneurship, tourism development, modernization of agriculture, sustainable resource use, labour market, women empowerment, youth employment and other various issues. It also seeks to explore the historical underdevelopment, geographical limitation, socio-political challenges, and developmental divergence that have beset the development of the region over the past decades. Hence, the book seeks to explore the policy implementations, empirical studies and developmental experiences to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the development context of the Northeast region of India. Furthermore, it will attempt to develop a narrative which redefines the role of the Northeast as the active force in shaping the economic security, cultural pluralism, diplomatic and strategic engagement and sustainable future of India. It also highlights the importance of social inclusion, participatory governance, peace building, environmental sensitivity, respect for the identity and traditional knowledge system of Northeast India, and economic investment to empower Northeast India. Furthermore, the book also gives importance to sustainable development in the northeast region of India, which includes development of economy in keeping care of the environment. It is a biodiversity hotspot and an area of ecological conservation and climate resilience. Policies which seek to promote industrial development, infrastructure development and utilization of resources need to be planned with sensitivity towards environmental sustainability and ecological balance. The idea of sustainable development is not considered as an alternative to economic growth, but rather as its basis. The book is designed to appeal to scholars, researchers, policymakers as well as to those who have an interest in the future of the Northeast India. The analyses, insights and recommendations presented in this book are expected to provoke discussions, evidence-based policy making and collaboration for transformative change in the region. Each chapter aims to advance academic knowledge and a balance has been struck to make it relevant to decisions and development practitioners. I hope that this book is able to make a valuable, positive contribution to the expanding debate on inclusive regional development and that it will be a useful reference for future research and policy making. Most importantly, it is my hope that this reaffirms the fact that the vision of Viksit Bharat is only achievable if every region is developed in a manner that is dignifying, equitable, and enabling. Empowering Northeast India is not only about regional development, but it is about building the roots of a resilient, prosperous and developed India.