Shillong, Aug 18: The Northeast Centre for Technology Application and Reach took centre stage at the monthly IMPCC meeting here on Tuesday, pitching technology-driven solutions aimed at farmers and remote communities across the region.
At NECTAR headquarters, Director General Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma highlighted two flagship initiatives — saffron cultivation trials in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram, and a Mobile Food Processing Unit built to take processing and packaging facilities to far-flung villages.
The mobile unit handles everything from raw produce to bottling and tetra-pack solutions. Officials said it is designed to cut post-harvest losses and help farmers realise better value closer to their fields.
Following the briefing, government and media representatives visited NECTAR’s Vasundhara Soil Lab, STEM Lab, GIS Lab and the Mobile Processing Unit. Scientists demonstrated how geospatial mapping, soil testing and STEM tools are being used to address local challenges in the Northeast.
The meeting was convened by PIB Shillong as part of the Inter-Media Publicity Coordination Committee initiative to improve communication and coordination among government departments and media units.
Representatives from IIM Shillong, ICAR-Umiam, NEEPCO, IMD Shillong, Census Department, MY Bharat, Soil & Water Conservation, Akashvani NES, NEIAH, PIB and CBC attended. Discussions focused on joint publicity, field visits and sharing success stories across print, electronic and digital platforms.
Participants stressed the need for stronger inter-departmental coordination to ensure government schemes reach people faster and more effectively.
It was also decided that all departments will observe Hindi Diwas and Hindi Fortnight in September 2026 with programmes to promote the use of Hindi in official communication.
