Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha on December 22, 2025, chaired the third meeting of the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Infrastructure, Logistics Cost and Connectivity in the North Eastern Region. The meeting was attended by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Lalduhoma, and senior officials from central ministries and other northeastern states.
The Task Force reviewed key regional challenges related to logistics and connectivity, assessed short-, medium- and long-term infrastructure priorities, and discussed institutional mechanisms and inter-ministerial coordination required for effective implementation across the Northeast.
During the meeting, the Tripura Chief Minister presented a comprehensive, phase-wise roadmap aimed at strengthening logistics efficiency, multimodal connectivity, cross-border trade corridors, digital and power infrastructure, as well as institutional and financial frameworks. Emphasising the need to view the Northeast as a single integrated region, he called for close coordination among central ministries including Roads & Highways, Railways, Civil Aviation, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Power, IT & Telecom, and Petroleum & Natural Gas. He also stressed the importance of timely resolution of forest and environmental clearance issues to expedite infrastructure execution.
Highlighting Mizoram’s strategic location, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said the state could serve as a regional gateway to neighbouring countries under India’s Act East Policy. He urged faster progress on critical connectivity initiatives such as the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project, and underlined the role of border trade, logistics and institutional support in achieving the objectives of the Task Force.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia appreciated the roadmap proposed by the Tripura Chief Minister in consultation with other HLTF members, describing it as a comprehensive strategy to enhance logistics and connectivity in the Northeast. He noted that effective execution would require sustained collaboration between central ministries and northeastern state governments. Given the multi-sectoral nature of the framework, he suggested seeking inputs from line ministries such as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Railways, as well as NITI Aayog, before finalising the Task Force’s report.
Earlier this year, MDoNER constituted eight High-Level Task Forces, each chaired by the Chief Minister of a northeastern state, with the Union Minister (MDoNER) and three other northeastern Chief Ministers as members. The initiative followed a consensus reached during the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in Agartala on December 21, 2024, aimed at accelerating region-specific development planning and execution across the Northeast.