The 8th Steering Committee of the North Eastern Council decided to take up the ongoing schemes and the new schemes to be implemented in the 10th Plan period with a new strategy as per the instruction and guidelines given by the Ministry for Development of the North-Eastern region and the Planning Commission.

The 10th Plan approach strategy based on the following points: construction of roads to connect different States of the North-East, improvement of air service in the North-East by funding the Indian Airlines, generation of power which will benefit more than one State, adequate publicity to be given to the NEC projects and not to set up new institutions but to ensure proper functioning of the existing ones.

The Steering Committee meeting also identified areas of priority for the 10th Plan period. According to Steering Committee, instead of initiating a large number of small projects fewer major projects will be initiated and the NEC projects are to be monitored in such a manner that cost and time over-run are avoided. Priority will be given to existing infrastructure so that investment already made is properly utilised and priority will also be given to operationalised existing airports. Efforts will be made to improve transmission and distribution of electric power to encourage isolated mini and micro hydro-power plants, and priority to tap local resources and improve value addition activities in the region so that flight of capital out of the region is arrested, steps to be made to attract outside investment in various sectors like industry, tourism, IT and to make the whole process of the NEC projects transparent by making wide publicity through regional and local media.

The formula devised by the NEC for equitable distribution of funds to the constituent States which has been approved by the 45th council meeting was discussed upon and the members agreed that unless either the Ministry of DONER or the Planning Commission come up with concrete formula which can be acceptable to all the States, the NEC approved formula i.e., each State gets a basic share of 7 per cent, 20 per cent of divisible fund divided among the States on the basis of backwardness, 15 per cent divided among the States on population basis, 10 per cent divided among the States on the basis of inverse weightage of past investment should be adhered to.
   
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