Mizoram Economics Association president Lianzela said this while delivering the keynote address at the inaugural function of a two-day UGC-sponsored national seminar on Agricultural Development in North East India. He said it was the only way the small states of the region could ensure "economics of scale" to achieve marketability of their agricultural and other products.
"This will help establish a solid foundation of physical and institutional infrastructure for joint regional action for tapping the enormous potential of the region in agriculture for growth and poverty reduction," he said, while advocating a "growth triangle" involving neighbouring regions with an eye on the Look East policy.
Academicians from various colleges, Mizoram University, Central Agricultural University, Selisih, and Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, as well as officials from the Mizoram department of agriculture presented various papers at the seminar, which was organised by the Government T Romana College in association with the association.
Prof. C. Hazarika from the department of agricultural economics, Assam Agricultural University, in his paper, "North East Agriculture, Dynamics and Perspectives", said the region was a classic case of economic underdevelopment in an area of vast potential. He said not enough had been done to exploit the vast natural resources of the region and that there was need to invest more in infrastructure with proper planning for the region to achieve its goal.