Northeast Desk, 14th February: An important memorandum of understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the North Eastern Council (NEC) Shillong, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong, and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) to continue the operation of the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis. The signing ceremony took place on February 13 at the NEC Secretariat in Shillong, with MDoNER participating through a weblink.
The MoU, signed by representatives including Angshuman Dey from MDoNER, Moses K Chalai from NEC, and Prof. D.P Goyal from IIM Shillong, aims to deepen engagement with IIM Shillong and foster entrepreneurship in the northeastern region.
The Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis was established through a tripartite agreement in 2016 to assist the states of the North East India in planning and executing projects effectively, promoting innovations, and serving as a repository of best practices in the region.
During the event, Prof. D P Goyal, Director of IIM Shillong, expressed his satisfaction with the center’s initiatives and interventions, highlighting its role in fulfilling the late President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam’s vision of development. He emphasized the extension of the MoU as a step to deepen relationships between the three agencies and strengthen their commitment to the region’s development.
Moses Chalai, Secretary of NEC, commended the center’s emergence and urged it to deliberate on policies and guidelines of the central government to align them with the region’s aspirations. He also expressed happiness at the completion of the administrative building of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, sponsored by MDoNER through NEC, and called for its formal inauguration.
Chanchal Kumar, Secretary of MDoNER, conveyed his best wishes for the center, expecting it to become an important think tank for the region. He emphasized the need for introducing North East Development Fellows through the Dr. Kalam Centre, which would have a significant impact on administration and governance in the region.
Atul Kulkarni, Member of the Board of Governors at IIM Shillong, highlighted the importance of the Dr. Kalam Centre in meeting the region’s aspirations across various domains and facilitating good governance.
With the extension of the MoU, the Dr. Kalam Centre is poised to work with more rigor and commitment in areas such as training and development, research and consultancy, policy advocacy, knowledge dissemination, and civic engagement, contributing to the holistic development of the North Eastern Region.
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