SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN STATES AND SIKKIM

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"Uttaram yat samudrasya, Himadreschaiva dakshinam

Varsham tad Bharatam nam Bharati yatra santatih"

(the country that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharat and there dwell the inhabitants of Bharat)

These words from the Vishnupurana aptly summarise the unique geographical location of our nation. Indian history has been replete with such expressions of unity since time immemorial. It has often taken a course, which has been largely determined by geography. The same holds true for the North-Eastern region too. Nowhere is the geographical factor more pronounced in the determination of unity in diversity, than in the North East. While on the one hand, the magnificent mountain chain has made the North-East a world in itself, it has also lent to the region a distinct cultural and civilizational ethos. Be it Kamrup, or Purva-desa or Prachya of the ancient times, or the seven sister States of modern times, North-East has always been an integral and a distinct feature of ‘unity in diversity’ and ‘diversity in unity’ of the country.

Nature has showered its bounty in all its munificence to the North-East, making it a region extremely rich in natural resources – biodiversity and hydro-potential, in particular. The natural wealth of the region has been supplemented by the vast reservoir of human wealth. There is therefore, all the more reason to ensure that given its inherent richness, the region does not lag behind in any sphere and becomes an equal and a proud partner in the nation’s forward march towards progress and development. Formulation of developmental policies and programmes for the North-Eastern region, however, requires a holistic and a well-coordinated approach, which addresses the economic, social, cultural, political, educational and internal security related issues and also the imbalances of the region.

"When people in New Delhi think of the North-East, they usually think of the geographic distance, which translates itself into mental distance. When people in the North-East think of Delhi, they usually think of the developmental distance, which translates itself into emotional distance", said the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the meeting with Governors and Chief Ministers of North Eastern States on May 8, 1998. It was with a view to bridge these ‘geographical’, ‘developmental’, ‘mental’ and ‘emotional’ distances that the Prime Minister announced a path-breaking agenda for socio-economic development and improving the security scenario of North-Eastern States and Sikkim on January 22, 2000.

The agenda covers 28 programmes and schemes encompassing diverse fields such rural infrastructure, road and air links, border fencing, border trade, power sector, horticulture, medical education and health services, industrial training institutes, information technology and upgrading police infrastructure.

The absence of physical infrastructure, inadequate skilled manpower and insufficient enterprise have been identified by the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the main areas of deficiency and concern. He also pointed out the late entry of the North-Eastern States in the overall planning process, lesser community participation, leakages and insurgency as prominent issues that sapped the resources, at the same time diverting the attention of the administration. The agenda clearly reflects and addresses these concerns.

The agenda can broadly be sub-divided into three segments - Infrastructure (physical and social), Education & Information Technology and Internal security. The infrastructure segment aims at according top priority to improvement of communication links, development of rural infrastructure, setting up of Export Development Fund (EDF), banking facilities, upgradation of health and medical services, implementation of hydro-projects, electrification of tribal villages, completion of road and bridge projects, building/extension of national highways. Hydro energy potential has been identified for full exploitation and Teesta and Loktak Hydro power projects are major initiatives in this area. Upgradation of 12 new national highways covering 1,962 kms and construction of 11 roads are another major step forward. Budget has been provided for critical transmission lines and electrification of 500 tribal villages of the region has been taken up in a big way.

To address the issue of unemployment, creation of skilled manpower is aimed at generating a sense of local enterprise and thus designed to create more employment opportunities. To this end, the agenda aims to double the number of I.T.Is. A scheme to provide computer information centres in all the blocks of the region is also underway, with 30 blocks already being covered. Lok Sabha has recently passed a Bill, paving the way for the creation of a Central University in Mizoram.

Last but not the least, internal security is one area, which hardly needs to be emphasized. The North Eastern region has been plagued by insurgency and extortion for quite some time. Besides instilling fear among the local populace, the twin menaces have their own socio-economic impact on the people, for unemployment and lack of employment opportunities are major factors behind insurgency and criminal activities in the region. The internal security segment of the agenda envisages the setting up of four border townships, modernization of police force, peace bonus for Mizoram and border fencing of Indo-Bangladesh border in a bid to stamp out insurgency and criminal activities. The agenda has also accorded sanction to three India Reserve Battalions (IRB) for Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur. In addition, a peace bonus of Rs. 180 crore for Mizoram is envisaged to enable the State to tide over its financial problems.

Often in the past good intentions were undone by bad implementation of schemes and programmes. Even today, the agenda has been facing problems of implementation due to adverse geographical factors such as hostile terrain and resistance from the locally entrenched vested interests. Despite these teething troubles, the Prime Minister’s Office has been unfazed and relentless in the pursuit of proper implementation of the various schemes and programmes under the agenda. These schemes and programmes are regularly being monitored and reviewed by the Prime Minister’s Office and Department for Development of North-Eastern region to ensure proper implementation and see to it that the benefits of the agenda percolate down to the masses. The Prime Minister too made it clear when he said that State governments have to "ensure time-bound implementation of projects and transparency in their functioning", so that people could "repose trust in their elected representatives".

Out of a total of Rs. 9,299.26 crore sanctioned for various schemes till August 9, 2002, a sum of Rs. 3,175.20 crore has already been disbursed to the eight States of the region. Though much still requires to be done, action on seven out of 28 schemes has been completed and 17 schemes are under implementation. Three other schemes for which sanction is not needed are also under implementation, while in the case of one scheme action has been initiated to accord approval.

The endeavour is to first minimize and then remove geographical’, ‘developmental’, ‘mental’ and ‘emotional’ distances between the North-East and rest of the country . This will send out a clear and positive signal to the people of the North East that an all-round development and progress of the people and the region is central to the concerns of the policy makers in the Government, in particular, and the nation, in general.