Agartala, Dec 20 (IANS): The 72nd Plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) will be held here on Saturday to review the ongoing infrastructure projects and to discuss the roadmap of the development of the eight northeastern states, including Sikkim.

Officials said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will preside over the plenary session of the NEC while Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, his deputy Sukanta Majumdar, Governors, Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of all eight northeastern states will attend the daylong meeting.

The Home Minister, who besides presiding over the NEC meeting, would also attend a series of other events in Tripura during the three-day visit to the state, arrived here on Friday evening.

Shah will visit the Reang tribal settlement camps in the Dhalai district on Sunday and will also attend the National Cooperative Conference on the same day at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala.

Ahead of Saturday’s plenary session, a pre-plenary technical session of the NEC was held on Friday and MoS Majumdar presided over the meeting, where Chief Secretaries of all eight northeastern states, senior officials of DoNER Ministry and the NEC, and officials from all the states of the region took part.

Tripura's capital city Agartala is hosting the NEC plenary meet for only the second time since 2008.

An official of the NEC said that the choice of Agartala for this important meeting underscores its evolving role in regional development.

Historically, plenary sessions have predominantly been held in Shillong and Guwahati. However, Agartala's selection highlights the dynamic nature of the NEC's engagements and its commitment to fostering growth across all corners of the region, he said.

NEC Secretary Angshuman Dey reflected on the significance of this plenary and the NEC's role in regional development.

He underscores the Prime Minister’s vision, where the NER is celebrated as 'Ashta Lakshmi', a symbol of immense potential and cultural richness.

The NEC's role has evolved significantly since its inception, transforming from an advisory body to a key regional planning agency, an official release quoted Dey.

"Yet, its core mission remains unchanged to accelerate socio-economic development and ensure parity with the rest of the country through enhanced connectivity, capacity building, and investment in various sectors," the release said.

The NEC was established in 1971 and subsequently inaugurated in Shillong in 1972 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

This milestone marked a pivotal moment in the region's planned and coordinated development.

The official release said that the council's transformation, including the incorporation of Sikkim in 2002 and its designation as a Regional Planning Body, reflects its expanding mandate and growing importance.

The NEC’s remarkable achievements over the decades are from constructing over 11,500 km of roads to boosting power generation and improving airport infrastructure.

The council's legacy includes foundational institutions such as the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and the North Eastern Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), among many others, the release added.

The ongoing initiatives and the introduction of the PM-devINE scheme further underscore the NEC’s pivotal role in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the northeastern region.

At the 72nd plenary session to be held on Saturday, the spotlight is firmly on the NEC's continued efforts to harness the region's vast potential and propel it toward unprecedented growth and development.

"With the stage set and expectations high, the plenary session of the NEC promises to be a defining moment in the region's journey toward a prosperous future," the release added.

Besides the NEC meeting, a review meeting of the works and planning of the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) will be held on December 22.

According to officials, the Union Home Minister and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Chairman S. Somanath would attend the NESAC meeting.

The Union Home Minister, in the previous NEC meeting in Shillong, had said that in the 50 years of its establishment, the NEC has increased the pace of development of the region by providing a policy-related platform to all the states and simplifying the solutions to their problems.