The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971. Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises which of the following members?

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971.
Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises the following members:
- Governor of the Constituent State .
- Chief Minister of the Constituent State .
- Three Members to be nominated by the President of India .

Explanation

Option 1: Governor of the Constituent State
- The Governors of the constituent states are members of the NEC .
Option 2: Chief Minister of the Constituent State
- The Chief Ministers of the constituent states are also members of the NEC .
Option 3: Three Members to be nominated by the President of India
- The President of India nominates three members to the NEC .
Option 4: The Home Minister of India
- The Home Minister of India is not a member of the NEC. Instead, the Union Home Minister is the ex-officio chairman of the NEC .

Establishment: The NEC was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971 to promote the socio-economic development of the North Eastern region .
Amendment in 2002: The NEC Act was amended in 2002 to redefine its functions as a regional planning body and to include Sikkim as a member state .
Composition:
- Governors and Chief Ministers of the constituent states .
- Three members nominated by the President of India .
- The Union Home Minister serves as the ex-officio chairman, and the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) is the ex-officio vice-chairman .
Functions:
- Acts as a regional planning body for the North Eastern region .
- Provides financial assistance for infrastructure projects, including roads and air connectivity .
- Oversees the implementation of projects and schemes to ensure proper and timely execution .
Headquarters: Located in Shillong, the NEC started functioning in 1972 .
Funding: Primarily provided by the Central Government, with contributions from state governments .