Northeast will enhance the next saffron hub, says Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Guwahati: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh restated that the Central Government has been taking an initiative to transform the northeastern region into the next saffron hub of India.

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR)'s permanent campus in Shillong, Meghalaya, on Thursday, the minister said, after Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast has the potential to emerge as the next saffron hub of India.

The minister also affirmed the Northeast's agricultural and technological transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Minister said that the Mission Saffron program began in 2021, has successfully expanded saffron farming to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya.

Plans are in place to develop saffron cultivation in Nagaland and Manipur. Large-scale farming is already underway at Mecchukha in Arunachal Pradesh and at Yuksom in Sikkim. The initiative makes smart use of uncultivated land to increase agricultural potential without disrupting current crops, the Minister added.

Minister further stated that the region has witnessed remarkable infrastructural growth over the past decade. Expanded road networks, railway connectivity, and aerial transport act as key enablers in making the once-remote region more accessible and economically vibrant.

Established in 2014, NECTAR has been instrumental in promoting saffron cultivation, along with advancements in drone technology for land mapping under the 'Swamitva' program, bamboo and honey production, and sustainable agriculture, the Minister said.