Parliament Question: Samriddhi Northeast 2026

Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region LOK SABHA Unstarred Question No. †5433 To be answered on Wednesday, March 25, 2026/Chaitra 04, 1948 (Saka) QUESTION Samriddhi Northeast 2026 †5433. Smt. Kamlesh Jangde:

Shri Dilip Saikia:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased

to state:

(a) whether direct business-to-business (B-to-B) linkages have been established for over 500 startups and artisans in the region through the Samriddhi Northeast 2026- Entrepreneurs Summit;

(b) the manner in which the "Ashtalakshmi Darshan' youth exchange programme has promoted cultural integration among students from eight North-Eastern States;

(c) the specific milestones achieved under the Advanced Management Development Programme for Handloom Sector held in February 2026;

(d) whether the new ginger processing unit set up in Mizoram has succeeded in doubling the income of local spice farmers;

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the comparative figures for the last five years; and

(f) the manner in which over 87,000 footballs have been distributed to promote sports at the grassroots in the region under the 'Football for Schools' initiative? ANSWER The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

(a) “Samriddhi Northeast 2026” was organized as a two-day summit at North Eastern Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation (NEHHDC) Ltd., Guwahati, in collaboration with TIDE (UK based organization), Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC), and Pahle India Foundation (PIF). A total of 15 sellers, primarily from the handicrafts sector, participated in the B2B component. These sellers were mobilized and facilitated by FMC. Buyer participation included representatives from established organizations such as Reliance, Flipkart, and Postcard Hotels, among others.(b) The Ashtalakshmi Darshan Youth Exchange Programme, implemented by the North Eastern Council under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, has been instrumental in strengthening people-to-people ties between the North Eastern Region and the rest of India. The programme is designed as a 14-day immersive youth exchange initiative involving academic sessions, cultural interactions, heritage visits, and community engagements in the North Eastern States. It provides young participants from across the country with first-hand exposure to the culture, traditions, and developmental aspirations of the region, thereby promoting mutual understanding and national integration. The programme envisages participation of about 1,280 students from 28 States and Union Territories in multiple batches, who visit and experience the eight North Eastern States. Through structured activities such as field visits, lectures and interactions with local communities and institutions, participants gain a deeper appreciation of the region’s cultural diversity and develop lasting interpersonal connections. As on 17.03.2026, 12 batches with 471 students have successfully completed the programme.

(c) Advanced Management Development Programme (AMDP) for the handloom sector was conducted by NEHHDC in collaboration with the National Institute of Design

(NID), Jorhat as the academic and design partner. The programme was designed as a six-day residential capacity-building intervention, comprising structured sessions and an exposure visit.The AMDP resulted in strengthened managerial, design, and market capabilities among participants across the handloom and handicrafts sectors, enabling transition towards more structured, scalable, and market-ready enterprises.

(d) & (e) No such project has been sanctioned by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

(f) Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India in collaboration with All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has launched the ambitious Football for Schools (F4S) programme of FIFA for school students across the country. The programme aims to significantly broaden the accessibility of football for students, regardless of gender, within the school setting. Under the programme, around 9.80 lakh FIFA footballs are set to be distributed pan India in more than 1.5 lakh schools. In North Eastern Region, distribution of more than 59,000 footballs, have been initiated through nodal institution - Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

(KVS) in nearly 11,000 eligible schools from various management in the region. *****