North East delegation seeks withdrawal of NEIIP suspension

ITANAGAR: A delegation of Forum of Industries and Commerce Ministers of North-East led by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki met Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman to appeal for immediate withdrawal of suspension of North East Industrial and Investment Policy-2007 (NEIIP).

Accompanied by Dr Mukul Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, and Industries and Power Minister of Assam Prodyut Bordoloi, the delegation submitted a memorandum to Sitharaman yesterday outlining the provisions of NEIIP-2007 which has played a key role in furthering the growth of industries in North Eastern Region since its introduction, an official communiqué said here today.

Earlier, Sitharaman had suspended the provisions of the policy till further orders on December 1.

The Forum apprised her that this sudden suspension of registrations under NEIIP has created a lot of apprehension among industry including leading companies and commerce bodies not only from the region but also from across the country.

In view of the regional disparities in industrial growth as compared to the rest of the country the NEIIP was introduced in 2007 for a period of ten years to meet up for this gap.

The Union Minister assured the delegation that the decision of suspension of NEIIP 2007 is a temporary one purely due to technical reasons related to financial constraints.

She informed the delegation that adequate measures have been initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to tide over the problems resulting in the suspension of NEIIP 2007.

Sitharaman assured that the Ministry is working out a solution for the same in close co-ordination with the Finance Ministry.