Tripura CM Manik Saha chairs High-Level Task Force meeting with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to boost infrastructure, logistics, and multimodal connectivity in Northeast India, aiming to reduce costs and enhance regional trade and development.
the socio-economic development of the Northeast region of India, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha convened a crucial meeting of the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Infrastructure, Logistics Cost, and Connectivity in the national capital. The meeting focused extensively on enhancing multimodal connectivity spanning roads, railways, waterways, energy, and digital networks across the Northeastern states.
The session was graced by the presence of Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Duhoma, the Secretary of MDoNER, Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, and other senior officials representing the Ministry and various Northeastern states. This collaborative platform aims to address the critical infrastructural gaps and strategize on the integrated development of the region’s connectivity networks.
A core agenda of the Task Force was to discuss strengthening trade corridors, enhancing border infrastructure, improving last-mile connectivity, and developing an integrated macro-grid tailored to the unique geographical and economic landscape of the Northeast. The meeting also deliberated on sectoral power transmission corridors to ensure seamless inter-state infrastructure compatibility and unlocking the Northeast’s strategic potential as a gateway to South East Asia.
Chief Minister Manik Saha presented a comprehensive overview of the five-point agenda and the three state-led initiatives that had been identified by the Union Minister during the Task Force’s inaugural meeting on August 6. Saha underlined several connectivity challenges currently faced by the Northeastern states, including inadequate road and air transport connectivity, limitations in waterway infrastructure, constraints in border trade facilities, and significant gaps in digital connectivity. He further highlighted the unique geographic and structural challenges impeding rapid infrastructure development.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Duhoma proposed a pragmatic four-point agenda aimed at fortifying critical infrastructure across the Northeast:
Developing a Comprehensive Master Plan for an integrated Northeast Infrastructure Grid that aligns power, transport, and digital corridors within a unified development framework.
Formulating a Plan for Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) by identifying key regional hubs and integrating multimodal transport with digital networks, thereby reducing transit times and operational expenses.
Enhancing Transport and Infrastructure Modes across roads, railways, airways, and waterways alongside power and digital infrastructure, ensuring robust last-mile connectivity.
Reducing Logistics Costs by optimizing the use of MMLPs, improving cold chain logistics, and building all-weather transport infrastructure to support trade and commerce.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia further outlined three key initiatives the HLTF must prioritize:
Crafting a regional master plan for the Northeast as a unified macro grid, addressing barriers and ensuring coordinated implementation with Central Ministries.
Creating a state-wise matrix listing priority infrastructure development projects funded by the Central Government, with at least two projects per sector (roads, railways, airways, power, inland waterways) for each state.
Designing a state-wise matrix of infrastructure projects suitable for Public-Private Partnership (PPP), highlighting one priority project per sector such as logistics, warehousing, and cold chain for each state.
This meeting is part of a broader initiative launched earlier this year when the Centre established eight High-Level Task Forces, each led by a Chief Minister from the Northeast region and involving the Union Minister (MDoNER) alongside three other Chief Ministers as members. The initiative stems from the consensus achieved at the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in Agartala in December 2024.
Both Centre and state representatives reiterated their shared commitment to accelerating connectivity-led growth and building a future-ready logistics ecosystem that can drive investments, create jobs, and foster regional prosperity. The coordinated effort aims to transform the Northeast into a vibrant economic hub with seamless multimodal infrastructure that integrates it closely with the rest of India and neighboring South East Asian economies.
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This renewed focus on infrastructure and connectivity in the Northeast is expected to open new avenues for trade, tourism, and industry, leveraging the region’s strategic location while addressing long-standing development challenges.
