Northeast has immense investment potential: Venkaiah Naidu

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that there is an immense investment potential in the northeastern region and stressed on improving connectivity to it.

Addressing the second convocation of National Institute of Technology here, Naidu said though the north-eastern region is endowed with abundant natural resources it has a difficult terrain, dispersed habitations, poor connectivity and inadequate infrastructure which are obstacles in realising its true potential.

Improving connectivity is most important to bring the northeast region into the mainstream, he said adding air connectivity is vital for promoting tourism, business and people-to-people contact.

"We strongly believe that the corridors of connectivity should be converted into corridors of economic growth with a symbiotic market model of development," the Vice-President said.

Naidu said that Nagaland is growing fast and setting up of the NIT is an indication of the growing importance of this region and the knowledge and technical skills acquired by the students will form the main pillars of their professional career.

NIT, Nagaland, is the first centrally funded technical institution in the state.

The Vice-President said the real strength of any academic institute lies in maintaining high standards of excellence through its teaching and top quality research.

The life skills acquired by the students from them and the values of ethics, morality, integrity and compassion are equally important in navigating through the challenges and contribute to building an inclusive New India.

Naidu advised the students to remember that their education does not end with the acquisition of a degree or by securing employment. "Learning is a life-long process and education is meant to enlighten them."

The NIT Nagaland being a technical institute of national importance will play a significant role in filling the industrial gap in Nagaland by bringing in industries, the corporate sector and technocrats from other parts of the country to Nagaland for its societal growth and uplift, he said. 

Naidu expressed happiness that the state is running the Institute of Communication and Information Technology (ICIT), Mokokchung and School Of Engineering & Technology, Dimapur. 

"Our mother tongue, the language of home, is the root of life. We must ensure that this foundation is strengthened. If we lose a language we lose an important part of our cultural identity," Naidu added.

Nagaland governor, P B Acharya said getting a degree is not the ultimate goal in life but it should serve as a catalyst for pursuing further knowledge.

Acquiring a degree is not the end goal of education, but it is beginning of empowerment, he added.