Make North East India centre for trade, business: President Pranab Mukherjee

ITANAGAR: Projecting availability of huge pool of natural resources and quality manpower, President Pranab Mukherjee said the North East region has potential to be a key investment destination and a centre for trade.

"There is little time to be lost. Considering the huge pool of natural resources and the quality of its human resources, North East of India has the potential of being an important investment destination and a centre for trade and business.

"We must harness the opportunities that are emerging from the rise of Asia and India's growing economic integration with the region," Mukherjee said in his first address to Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly here.

No longer should this region be considered remote, he said.

"The Centre and the state government should together rapidly build the infrastructure linkages and connectivity with the rest of India that is required and this Legislature and the people of Arunachal should extend every assistance possible to this venture," said the President.

Mukherjee, who is on his maiden two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh since becoming the President, asked the state and central governments to complete hydro power projects worth 46,000 mega watts in time.