FM reaffirms Centre's commitment to NE devpt at Shillong stakeholder meet
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Shillong: Union finance minister
Nirmala Sitharaman
chaired a stakeholder interaction in Shillong on Saturday, where she engaged directly with business leaders, entrepreneurs, industry representatives and citizens, reaffirming the Centre's commitment to the development of the northeast.
The event was organised by the Govt of Meghalaya in collaboration with the department of financial services, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) and the Central Board of Direct Taxes.
The session was attended by CBIC chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, CBIC member Mohan Kumar Singh and senior officials from the Union ministry of finance, the Govt of Meghalaya and associated departments.
In a recognition, Sitharaman felicitated Rimiful Shylla and Wanjoplin, two of Meghalaya's top women taxpayers, for their commendable contribution to the nation's tax system.
During the interaction, stakeholders shared a range of observations and suggestions. Key issues included the need to ensure a balanced approach to the development that upholds environmental sustainability, the importance of fostering research and development and financial assistance for institution involved in R&D and greater policy attention to the hospitality sector.
Participants also highlighted the need to bring local industries under the Targeted Champion Sector Scheme, extend better access to credit and markets for startups and MSMEs — especially those rooted in the northeast — and enhance central infrastructure investments to boost regional industrial growth.
Concerns over high logistics costs because of the region's geographical challenges were also raised, with calls for rationalised transport subsidies.
Sitharaman welcomed the inputs and reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to inclusive, responsive and region-specific governance. She underscored the importance of participatory policy-making and said the govt is working to make tax systems and financial frameworks more accessible for all stakeholders.
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We cannot afford to squander this moment over invented fears. The political maturity required now is to rise above identity-based manipulation and look at language through the lens of national progress. Let's be clear, no one is forcing Hindi down anyone's throat. But we should also not allow a handful of insecure regional leaders to block opportunities for millions of Indian youth. Let's not make it harder for a Tamil boy to dream of a job in Madhya Pradesh. Let's not limit the aspirations of a Kannada girl wanting to work in Chandigarh. Knowing Hindi helps them, not harms them. And let us not forget, a multilingual India is not a divided India. It is a stronger, more connected, more confident India. Unity through language Over the years, I've had the privilege of working and speaking across many Indian states. I've seen firsthand how knowing a few key Indian languages changes the way you connect, influence, and lead. In my own political and public life, the ability to speak Hindi and English, while thinking in Telugu, has been a powerful advantage. It has not diminished my identity. It has enhanced my effectiveness and connect across the nation. The same principle holds for our youth. Don't be held hostage by those who want to limit your growth under the guise of protecting your culture. Bharat is a symphony The idea of Bharat is not built on linguistic uniformity. It's built on cultural harmony. One can speak Kannada and be a proud Indian. One can write in Malayalam and serve in the Indian Army. One can think in Tamil and lead in Delhi. We need to end this manufactured war on Hindi. We must call out the politics of regionalism for what it is, a desperate attempt to remain electorally relevant in the face of a rising, unified national narrative. Let our children learn any language they intend to - Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and English. Let them dream in many languages, think across borders, and work across states. Because in the end, the language of unity is understanding, not uniformity. (Author is the Chief Spokesperson of BJP, Chairman for Nation Building Foundation & a Harvard Business School certified Strategist.)
