The Hindu, October 18, 2006
Shillong, Oct 18. (PTI): Tourism was the key sector, which could rejuvenate the rural economy of north east by giving the people their economic empowerment, Meghalaya's Art and Culture minister R G Lyngdoh said here on Tuesday.
"Villagers in the northeast would be able to sell their finished products at their doorsteps rather than sending outside if tourism was properly developed in the region," Lyngdoh said while inaugurating a two-day seminar on 'infrastructure development in the north east organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Calling for looking at the region as a whole keeping aside 'petty differences and chauvinism attitude', Lyngdoh advocated to market the north east in a proper manner so that all the constituent states get benefit from it.
The Minister highlighted the transport handicap in the region and mooted an idea of introducing air taxi from one State Capital to another for the convenience of tourists and bureaucrats traveling inside the region.
Later, chairing a technical session on 'infrastructure requirements - regional perspective', former Union Tourism secretary M P Bezbaruah urged the North Eastern Council (NEC) to have a 'benchmark survey' on tourism potentials in the region and find out what would be needed in a particular timeframe.
