New Delhi, April 10 (IANS): Minister for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh on Friday said hostels for youth and students of northeast were being constructed in different cities and work had started on two such hostels in Delhi.

Speaking on the second day of the 64th plenary meeting of the North-Eastern Council here, Singh said the exodus of youth because of poor opportunities for higher education and employment was a major problem in the northeast region.

According to a statement, Singh said the government has announced setting up of a sports university in Manipur and launched two ambitious schemes "Ishaan Uday" - special scholarship scheme for students of the region and "Ishaan Vikas" - a scheme to provide apprenticeship facility to students of the region in IITs, NIITs and NIFTs.

"Besides this, hostels for youth and students of northeast are being brought up in different cities and the work on two such hostels in Delhi and one exclusive girls' hostel in Bengaluru has already started," he said.

He said Narendra Modi, during his first visit to the region as prime minister, had announced the setting up of six agricultural colleges there and has laid emphasis on developing the region as a hub of organic farming.