Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday presided over as the chief guest at the curtain raiser event for the North East Expo 2019, orgsed here.
The regional commissioners of the eight North-East states also attended the curtain-raiser event, which was orgsed by All India Women's Education Fund Association (AIWEFA), read a statement.
To celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, 100 years of his association with Khadi and 91 years of AIWEFA's service to women and communities, the campaign 'Khadi Goes Global' has been initiated.
It brings together all the eight states of North-East India to create a platform with the North East handloom, handicrafts and the farm sector, at the North East Expo, 2019, on November 2-3.
Addressing the event, Singh said that in the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited North East over 30 times, which shows the kind of importance this government attaches with the states of the North East.
The Minister observed that this importance given by the government has bridged the gaps of growth and development in North East as well as broken psychological barriers in the minds of the people. "The government has managed to bring the rest of India closer to the North East," he said.
Singh also talked about the steps being taken by the central government for the development of the North East. He informed how the transport infrastructure, including rail tracks, highways, airports, had increased exponentially in the last five years with the constant interest being taken by the Prime Minister.
The minister said that 35 per cent of total bamboo production in India comes from the North East, but it was not utilised due to obsolete laws.
"The day is not far when the North East would become the start up hub of the country", he said.
Singh also talked about how the government is planning to replicate the success stories of development of North East in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
The North East Expo, 2019, will provide a platform for entrepreneurs from the eight northeast states to open up trade and commerce with ASEAN and BIMSTEC nations through Tea Diplomacy and Khadi Diplomacy, the statement said.
It will include panel discussions, back-to-back meetings, art, culture, food stalls, and stalls on northeast handlooms and handicrafts. This event also aims to identify and carry out preservation of the distinctive arts of the different tribes of the North East, the statement added.
( With inputs from ANI )