Building the Backbone: MDoNER’s Infrastructure Push in the NE

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is advancing multiple initiatives to accelerate growth and development across the North Eastern Region (NER).

Logistics Master Plans are being prepared for Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Nagaland to strengthen regional connectivity and improve supply chain efficiency. In a major push for innovation, the North East Science and Technology Cluster (NEST) was inaugurated at IIT Guwahati in November 2025 with an investment of ₹220 million. The cluster is designed to promote research and innovation in emerging areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and bamboo-based technologies.

MDoNER is also promoting cluster-based development in traditional sectors like agarwood and bamboo, which are vital to the region’s economy. Projects in Assam and Tripura are underway to develop agarwood clusters and bring more than 4,000 bamboo artisans into formal market systems.

In parallel, the ministry is boosting investment through initiatives such as the Rising North East Investors Summit, which has generated investment interest worth ₹4.48 trillion. According to MDoNER officials, these efforts are aimed at positioning the North Eastern Region as a key growth engine for a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.