Jyotiraditya Scindia Charts Action-Driven Roadmap for Northeast’s Integrated Food Systems

New Delhi :Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, participated in the Fourth High-Level Task Force Meeting on Milk, Eggs, Poultry, Meat and Fisheries, chaired by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Senior officials from Nagaland, the Department of Fisheries, and representatives from all eight Northeastern states were present.

The Task Force conducted a comprehensive demand–supply analysis across the region, laying the groundwork for a multi-dimensional and integrated framework for food systems development. Rather than focusing on isolated interventions, the discussions addressed connectivity and logistics, infrastructure gaps, value-chain strengthening, workforce development, breeding enhancement, and increasing access to credit and private investment.

Highlighting the vision for the Northeast, Scindia stated,
“Our aim is to build a connected, efficient and resilient food ecosystem for the Northeast that strengthens livelihoods, expands market access and ensures better nutrition for every citizen.”

To accelerate on-ground progress, the meeting resolved to launch targeted interventions in two states for each product category—milk, eggs and poultry, meat, and fisheries. These pilots will serve as learning models, enabling scaled, evidence-driven expansion across the region.

A clear implementation architecture was finalized, involving coordinated collaboration between central ministries, state departments, and private sector stakeholders. Each intervention will be linked to specific stages of the value chain, ensuring well-defined responsibility distribution—from production to end consumer. Funding contributions will also be shared among all three partners.

A major theme of the discussions was the importance of treating the Northeast as a single, integrated market. By facilitating movement of surplus to deficit areas, identifying each state’s competitive strengths, and boosting intra- and inter-state trade linkages, the region can unlock greater efficiency and economic opportunity. Over time, this approach is expected to strengthen logistics, amplify market access, and promote shared prosperity.

Scindia further underscored the necessity of a bottom-up strategy, rooted in each state’s unique insights but aligned with national goals and private-sector expertise.
Concluding the session, he affirmed:
“By strengthening production, upgrading value chains and improving logistics, we are laying the groundwork for a future where the Northeast’s food economy is self-reliant, market-ready and driven by shared prosperity.”