‘You cannot make local people spectators’: Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma on northeast development

As infrastructure investment continues to flow into the Northeast, Tipra Motha leader Pradyot Manikya Debbarma has warned that local communities must be direct beneficiaries of development projects or risk becoming alienated from the process.

Speaking to India Today NE on the sidelines of the North East India Infrastructure Summit 2026 in Shillong, Debbarma said excluding local populations from economic gains could create resentment and social unrest.

"They can't become spectators," he said, adding that communities are unlikely to support projects if they see little benefit from them.

Debbarma pointed to the growth of homestays across the Northeast as an example of inclusive development, saying tourism has significantly increased incomes for many families.

He urged governments to focus not only on attracting large investments and luxury hotels but also on capacity building through training institutes and community-based tourism initiatives.

According to him, such an approach allows visitors to experience the culture and traditions of indigenous communities while ensuring economic benefits remain within local populations.

Debbarma said sustainable development in the Northeast must be rooted in community participation, with local residents becoming stakeholders rather than bystanders in the region's transformation.