Imphal, October 14: As part of the exercise of the North Eastern Council (NEC) which is actively involved in developing a Vision 2020 Document for the North Eastern Region with a view to evolve a perspective for development with participatory inputs from the general population, a workshop on NE Vision 2020 was held at Hotel Mass here today.

Jointly organised by Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES) and Manipur Centre for Social Studies (MCSS), MCSS president Prof Gangmumei Kamei and C-NES managing trustee Sanjay Hazarika chaired the workshop.

The workshop commenced with the opening remarks of C-NES managing trustee Sanjay Hazarika and MCSS secretary Prof Amar Yumnam presenting the responses of the individuals and community leaders on the survey conducted by MCSS in connection with the Vision Document of the NEC.

Presenting the survey report, Prof Yumnam said that the survey had been conducted in all the districts of the State covering the remote areas and the opinions of around 13,000 individual and community leaders who were consulted during the survey have been taken into consideration while preparation in the report.The participants comprising of community leaders, intellectuals and experts in various fields, discussed in threadbare the responses of the individuals and community leaders with regard to development in the field of education, agriculture, communication, health, administration, etc.

The workshop also deliberated on the recommendations to be made to the concerned authority in this regard with a view extract optimum benefits from the Look East Policy of the Centre to be implemented through the NEC in the next 15 years.

Giving his observations, Prof Kamei noted that Manipur is passing through a difficult phase at present with numerous problems besetting it.

The only deliverance from these scourges could come only through proper educational development, he said, adding that the minds of the people could be enlightened by spreading the light of education.

While expressing optimism that the Vision 2020 of NEC would be a success, he also appealed to the young research scholars to work for the welfare of the State and its people.

In his observance, Sanjay Hazarika said the people of North Eastern region and that of Manipur in particular would reap maximum benefits from the Look East Policy of the India Government.

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