The northern region is the largest region in India in terms of area and population. During the year 2007-08 to 2011-12, the CAGR growth in the regional GDP was 8.1 per cent as against 7.7 per cent nationally. The landlocked nature of the region often acts as a hindrance towards attracting investments in the region. To counter this issue, the government has proposed mega infrastructure projects like Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors connecting the northern region to the eastern and western ports. In the recent past, there have been a number of developments and policy initiatives setting the tone of high growth across the region. Various state governments have also undertaken a whole gamut of administrative reforms to facilitate quick decision-making, cut down red tape, provide single window clearances and deemed approvals to encourage private sector investment.
The focus of this publication is to set the context for discussion on 'Reviving Growth in North' with special focus on reforms, positive governance and inclusivity. It was released at the Annual Regional Meeting of the CII Northern Region held on 14 March 2014 in New Delhi.