Regional Conference on “Physical and Social Infrastructure for Regional Development”

• The Governor of Assam, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi inaugurated the two day Seminar being organized by the Ministry of Finance on the theme of “Physical and Social Infrastructure for Regional Development” in Guwahati, Assam.
• The Seminar is organized by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India in collaboration with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI).

Poor physiacal and social infrastructure of the region:

• For decades, poor physical infrastructure has acted as roadblocks hindering the socio-economic development of the Northeast, thus increasing the sense of alienation that has led to other social issues.
• Development has many facets; it cannot be capsuled into ‘x’ crores of industrial investment or ‘y’ GDP growth. Inclusive growth and development where no one is marginalized, and everyone enjoys at least a minimum living standard, mental and physical, if not optimum standards, is the least a country or a state’s declared objective of development should encompass.
• We in India, with the current stress on Sustainable Development Goals as part of our Annual Budget and Policy exercise, have underlined this commitment.
• Social infrastructure like health care, education, social care, arts, culture, and emergency services that are the nuts and bolts that keep the engine of development on its tracks.
• Social Infrastructure thus focuses on human resource development, implying the development of skilled personnel as well as healthy and efficient human beings, including institutional infrastructure to support these.

By: Ziyaur Rahman