NEW DELHI, Nov 22 ? Coinciding with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's North-east tour, the Human Resources Ministry here announced constitution of a 25-member high level group to address specific issues relating to education, women and child development in the north eastern region (NER) including Sikkim.
The high-powered committee to be headed by Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Arjun Singh would also address issues regarding funding of projects relating to education, women and child development from the Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) for the North-east and to advise, suo-moto, or on a reference made to it by the Central Government or any of the North-east state governments on any question relating to these issues, it was officially announced here.
Besides the chairman, 24 other members of the group included Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Ministers of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, chief ministers and state education ministers of the eight north eastern states, secretaries in the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
The committee was set up in pursuance of the commitment made by HRD Minister at a meeting of state education ministers early this year. The tenure of the group would be five years and is slated to meet at least once every quarter either in one of the north eastern state capitals or in New Delhi to review and monitor progress, it was stated.