NE to become India’s next saffron hub

Subhasish Mitra (Wide Angle)

The northeast is rapidly emerging as a key driver for India to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat. The region is also poised to become the country’s next saffron hub after Jammu and Kashmir.

 

The government’s 'Mission Saffron' initiative has since 2021 expanded saffron cultivation across Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya in the distant northeast.

 

For the success of this ambitious plan,

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh recently laid the foundation of a permanent campus of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in Shillong.

 

Large-scale saffron cultivation is now underway at Menchukha in Arunachal Pradesh, and Yuksom in Sikkim. Plans have been prepared to extend it to Nagaland and Manipur.

 

The idea is to turn the northeast region as India’s next saffron hub after Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative strategically utilises uncultivated land, enhancing agricultural potential without disrupting existing crops.

 

The region's rapid transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership has opened new opportunities for technological and agricultural advancements.

 

Dr Singh stressed the government’s commitment to the region and cited the remarkable infrastructural and technological advancements in the past decade.

 

He also highlighted how initiatives such as expanded road networks, railway connectivity, and aerial transport have significantly improved accessibility to remote areas.

 

“The development of the northeast is one of Prime Minister Modi’s highest priorities. If you compare the situation before 2014 and today, the transformation is evident. The northeast, which once struggled with connectivity, now boasts of robust infrastructure, making economic growth and scientific advancement possible,” he said at the foundation-laying event.

 

The newly planned permanent campus in New Shillong will serve as a collaborative centre of excellence, facilitating state-of-the-art technology demonstration and skill development.

 

NECTAR, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, was established in 2014. Its evolution aligns with the larger vision of fostering self-reliance and innovation in the region.

 

NECTAR’s initiatives include the promotion of saffron cultivation in the northeast on the lines of lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir, drone technology for land mapping under the ‘Swamitva’ program, and advancements in bamboo and honey production.

 

NECTAR has been instrumental in addressing socio-economic gaps by integrating indigenous technological solutions, ensuring sustainable development in the region and is

actively working to resolve last-mile challenges in technology application and diffusion.

 

Expressing confidence in NECTAR’s potential, Dr Singh urged the institution to carve out a specialized identity in scientific research and application. “To gain pan-India recognition, NECTAR must focus on a dedicated domain. Just as IITs and other premier institutes have developed specializations, NECTAR too should work towards excelling in a specific field,” he said.

 

Reflecting on the region’s role in India’s growth story, he asserted that the Northeast will be a key driver in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

 

“As India moves towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, the value addition must come from regions like the northeast, which were previously underutilized. This is the next frontier of India's growth,” he remarked.

 

Dr Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering the northeast through science, technology, and infrastructural reforms, ensuring that the region stands at par with the rest of the country in India’s development trajectory.