Imphal, January 20: The Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee inaugurated the Two-day North East Business Summit here this morning at the Capital's Vigya Bhawan.

The main aim and objective of the 2-day long North-East Business Submit jointly organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Department of Development of North-Eastern Region (DONER), the second of its kind after the one held in July, 2002 at Mumbai with overwhelming support from Corporate leaders and business houses, is to highlight the opportunities in various areas amongst others infrastructure, energy, agro and food processing, healthcare, biotechnology, bamboo utilization and tourism for the business houses.

During the two-day long Submit, the rich and colourful fabrics and products of the north-eastern states are also being highlighted by way of fashion shows and exhibition.

A number of corporate houses are also taking part with their success stories.

In the Submit, Manipur is being represented by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Th Devendra Singh along with other senior officials arid will interact with participants at the special conclave.

The Submit will provide unique opportunity to all the north-eastern states to make an investment profile of the individual State before over 1000 business delegates participating in the Submit.

The states will also highlight the measures taken by them to woo investors in the region.

The Submit is part of the Indian Chamber of Commerce's initiative to bring the economically backward northeast into the economic mainstream of the country by showcasing the unique potentials of the region, the ICC is convinced that the current perception about the north-east needs to be changed and the region deserves to get the attention of the nation.

The high-level delegation from Manipur led by the State Commerce and Industry Minister Thoudam Devendra Singh is also trying to woo prospective Public and Private Sectors and interact with the participants.

The Business Submit which is being shifted to the ITDC's Hotel Ashok after the Inaugural function for the rest of the programme, will also be addressed by several top leaders of various public and private sectors such as Chairman, Hindustan Lever; Chairman, ONGC; Country Director of Asian Development Bank; Chief of UNIDO in India; Senior officials of the Planning Commission of India, Secretaries of Union Ministries of Food Processing, Non-Conventional Energy and Health; Chairman, ITDC etc.

The Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, Union Minister for DONER Dr CP Thakur, Minister of Slate for DONER Tapan Sikdar, Chairman, NEC and Governor of Assam Lt General Ajay Singh (Retd) were also present in the inaugural function.

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