So, the North-East has a new points man in Delhi Darbar. C. P. Thakur has succeeded Arun Shourie. This medical doctor, who looked after the health of the nation for a while, has bounced back, courtesy Bhumihar factor in Bihar politics. As the presiding deity of the Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), the learned doctor has his own prescriptions and his own assurances.

On a visit to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute for Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Thakur offered his first homily:  States should find out ways and measures for revenue generation. “States of the region should not always look towards the Centre for help”, he said.

Why there is a tardy progress for the ambitious NEIGRIHMS?

Thakur quipped “I have come to remove the dust which has accumulated over the project”.

The NEIGRIHMS is being constructed on a 273 acre site at Maw Diang Diang, about 7 kms from Shillong. The estimated cost: Rs 422.60 crore. About Rs 200 crore goes towards construction of buildings and other services. The Institute will be partly functional from next year, Thakur said while adding the entire project was expected to be completed by May 2005.

About security in and around the Institute, Thakur said the state government will soon set up a police station in the vicinity. Thakur said police should investigate the killing of two NEIGRIHMS contractors by militants.

Here is one more ministerial pronouncements: “Specialist doctors should be given some sort of allurement for serving at the NEIGRIHMS.”

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