NORTH EAST
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| Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 43 | February 1-15, 2008 |
“Public investment will trigger FDI in NE” “Government will take initiative for investment
in the region to develop infrastructure for private investment in the
region.” “We hope to
finalise broad understanding for post, river and highway component for
Sittway land custom post between India and
Myanmar in the month of April 2008, during the Myanmarese
delegation visit to India,” he quoted. We have to make Kaladan river
navigational. Thereby bypassing Bangladesh for alternate trade route for
the products of South East Asia and North East as well, he added. Dedicated
Regional Private Airlines will be operational by the end of 2008 to
improve the connectivity within the region. The region consist 23 Airports
out which only 11 are
operational and by the next five years rest will also be operational , he
added. Railway will
spend Rs 10,000 crore to expand rail network in the region. Presently
North East is having only three percent of rail network as compared to the
entire network in the country. He said, geography and terrain is no
excuse, if China can construct rail network from Sanghai to Lasha. Mr. Ramesh
said, power generation in one of the most focused area in the region and
Central Government is giving full attention to capitalize on the potential
of the North East in the power sector. We have to double effective power
generation capacity by 2011, he added. Broadband
connection is also slated for a rapid and spectacular growth in the
region. At present 20,000 broadband connection exist in the entire region
which is anticipated to go 1,50,000
by the next year, he said. The Minister
stressed that tea plantation and production is central to economics of
this region and will create a multiplier effect for the local economy.
Rubber plantation is one another area, which is conducive to this region.
60,000 hectare is presently under cultivation in the North East Region but
potential is about half a million hectares as identified, he pointed out. About the
embryonic of the information technology in the region, The Union Minister
announced that Tata consultancy Services in collaboration with Indian
Institute of Technology, Guwahati will have its flag in Guwahati very soon to train and develop human resource potential according to
the requirements of the various industries. For quadrilateral Growth of
the region Government of India is substantially maintaining good
relationship with the Bangladesh, Myanmar and South East Asia. Citing
recent example of lifting ban on foreign direct investment from
Bangladesh, he said, import duty from 4008 item have already withdrawn
under SAFTA agreement. Allaying the
fears of the potential investors in the region he said, large part of the
country is more unsafe than the major part of the North East. He urged
media that good things should also be covered in the news to create
investor friendly environment in the region which would eventually help
reducing the unemployment in the region as well. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also spoke on the occasion. Rural
development picture dismal in North-East
Report card
of all the eight north-eastern states on rural development, specially on
DRDA front, projects a dismal picture. All the eight
states have recorded lowest credit mobilisation and disbursement,
according to the status report brought out by the Union Rural Development
Ministry. |
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