Complaining that fund allocations for development process are not adequate, North-Eastern states urge the Centre to take urgent steps.

North East News Agency

Describing the Primary sector — concerning majority of the population in the region — and HRD sector — relating to development of human skills — as two pillars of the edifice on which sustained socio-economic development could be achieved, Union Minister P. R. Kyndiah reiterated the importance of a regional approach to development in the North-Eastern region.

In his introductory remarks at the 52nd Meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC), the Union Minister pointed to the need to comprehensively address the issue of adequate resource availability for the 11th Plan with full appreciation of the imperatives of much larger Plan investments.

In this regard, Mr. Kyndiah pointed to the unspent balance of funds lying with states and reiterated his appeal to all Chief Ministers to take appropriate steps to reduce the unspent balances. He said the ‘Vision NER:2020’ Document under preparation accorded special focus to upgradation of skills for improving employability along with grassroots-level science and technology support to the work force — the youth and the women.

The Document, the Union Minister said, would also take into account importance of trade and commerce and economic benefits that would accrue to the people of the North-Eastern Region in relation to the neighbouring countries.

With India’s ‘Look East Policy’ propelling the process of integrating the region’s economy with the South East Asian countries ‘’in a very unique way’’, the Minister envisioned the region as gradually becoming the ‘Economic Bridge’ for the country.

The day-long NEC meeting was attended by Chief Ministers — save those from Assam and Sikkim — and Governors of all eight states of the region — comprising Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. It discussed various issues concerning the region, including a Special Economic Package and budget for the next financial year.

Complaining that fund allocation for the development of the North-Eastern states are not adequate, eight states of the region urged the Centre to take urgent steps for removing backwardness and communication bottleneck to bring them into the path of progress.

In the 52nd meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC), which was held with the participation of Governors and Chief Ministers of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Governors of Assam and Sikkim, the leaders unequivocally said that adequate resources must be provided by the Centre to the region for its speedy economic development.

“Inspite of the joint representation of the eight Chief Ministers of the North-East to the Prime Minister to enhance the plan outlay of NEC during 2005-06 to Rs 1136.80 crore, the outlay of the NEC continues to stagnate at a miserable low of Rs 461.50 crore,” Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said. He said with many mega projects of roads, bridges and hydel power, the budget for the NEC for 2006-07 should be enhnaced to at least Rs. 2012 crore.

Mentioning about the ‘NER Vision 2020’ which is being prepared for the integrated development of the region, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the region has been lagging behind the rest of the country in terms of the development which created the feeling of “neglect” among the people.

“We have spent enough time discussing theories of development and words of hope and widom. People of the states now want to see action and if we fail to act now, the formation and the very existence of NEC will be questioned,” he said.

Asking the Union Government to properly develop its ‘Look East Policy’, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said the policy should be based on a 15 year perspective plan. Fifteen year perspective plan for the integrated and holistic development of the region should be need-based at the  implementation stage and not resource-based, he said.

Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang said central allocation for the NEC should be enhanced in order to ensure that it achieves its targeted objectives. Lapang also suggested that airport infrastructure and air connectivity of the North- East should be improved suitably   in all the state capitals on top priority basis.

Observing that infrastructure development of the North East required sufficient funds, Manipur Governor S S Sidhu appealed to the Union Finance Ministry to support development projects in the North-East region adequately.

“Today, it is widely appreciated that developmentof NE region is not just a North-East affair but it is also a matter of national concern, especially in view of the Government of India’s Look East Policy,” Siddhu said.

In his address, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Development of North East Affairs P R Kyndiah said if adequate resources were not provided the “development process would falter”.

“The issue of adequate resource availablity for the 11th Plan needs to be addressed comprehensively. The imperatives of much larger plan investments in NER have to be fully appreciated,” Mr. Kyndiah, who is also NEC chairman, said. He also said there should not be any gap between originally agreed plan outlay and the funds actually allocated.

The North Eastern Council (NEC), an apex body for development programmes, announced that it would frame by May a new plan to boost economic growth and commerce in the eight North-Eastern states.

The “Vision NER: 2020” document will boost efforts in the northeast to make the region a gateway to markets in Southeast Asia in line with India’s “Look East” policy to engage neighbours like Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. The NEC also decided to set up the Northeast Tourism Development Council to develop tourism.

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