The first ever North East Development Summit (NEDS) 2017 was held in Imphal, Manipur. It was inaugurated by President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
It was organised by Delhi-based think tank India Foundation in collaboration with Union Government and Manipur government.
The two-day business summit of Northeast India and Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries concluded today at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound signing 39 agreements worth INR 4000-5000 crores.
The positive outcomes from this summit would transform the business and development environment of the Northeast region in general and Manipur in particular.
Out of the 39 memorandum of understandings (MoUs) signed today; the state forest department signed four MoUs - two with HSMM Group for Agarwood plantation and production of essential oil, commercial production of orchids and essential oils.
The department also signed MoU with NRL for production of biofuels from bamboo and with TRIFED for minimum support prices for minor forest produces.
Higher education department signed MoU with M/s UNESCO Centre (UK) for setting up a private university in Manipur.
Finance department signed MoU with INDO SWISS Centre (Switzerland) for facilitating attracting investment, trade, tourism.
Agriculture department signed MoU with MSTC for e-marketing of agricultural produces from Manipur.
Tourism department signed MoU with Lao PDR for development of tourism.
Tourism department also signed MoU with M/s Star Track Business House Pvt Ltd Mumbai for infrastructure development project for INR 50 crore.
Manipur Police Housing Corporation (MPHC) signed MoU with M/s Fitzroy Salai Holdings, Kolkata for Cable Car Project.
Sangai Festival- The historic event for the state and the region as a whole was held as part of Sangai festival for business development of the state.
- It had five sessions focusing on areas of trade and investment, connectivity and infrastructure development, tourism development in the region, skill development, capacity building and entrepreneurship.
- Sangai festival is an annual cultural festival organised by Manipur Tourism Department every year from November 21 to 30,
- Even though many editions of this Festival has been celebrated over the past few years with the name of Tourism Festival, since 2010 this has been renamed as the Sangai Festival to stage the uniqueness of the shy and gentle brow-antlered deer popularly known as the Sangai Deer, which is the state animal of Manipur.
- As this festival is being celebrated to promote Manipur as a world class tourism destination, it showcases the best of what the state has to offer to the world in terms of art and culture, handloom, handicrafts & fine arts, indigenous sports, cuisines & music, eco & adventure sports as well as the scenic natural beauty of the land
