The 16th North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) Conference will begin today at Imphal in Manipur. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan arrived in Imphal yesterday evening to inaugurate the event. <br/><br/>She was accorded a warm welcome by Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker Yumnam Khemchand at Imphal Airport. The theme of the Conference is North East and Look East Policy.<br/><br/>Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker and NERCPA Chairman Abu Taher Mondal, Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh, Presiding Officers and members of the legislatures of North East States will participate in this Conference. <br/><br/>The Conference will deliberate on three significant themes – North East and Look East Policy, special plan for development of railways, airways, surface road and inland waterways connectivity for speedy economic development of North East Region and setting up of a chapter of Speaker's Research Initiative (SRI) in the North Eastern Region for capacity building of the legislators of the region and generating research for the North Eastern legislatures.<br/><br/>