" Uttaram yat samudrasya, Himadreschaiva
dakshinam
Varsham tad Bharatam nam Bharati
yatra santatih"
(the country that lies north
of ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharat and there dwell
the inhabitants of Bharat)
These words from the Vishnupurana aptly
summerise 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 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 megnificent 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 extreamly rich
in natural resources - biodiversity and hydropotential, in perticular.
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
the given its inherent richness, the region does not lack behind in any
spare 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 adress as the economic, social,
cultural, political, educational and internal security related issues and
also to the imbalances of the region.
"When people in New Delhi think of
the North-East, they usually think of the geogaphic distance which translates
itself into mental distance. When people in the North-East think of Delhi,
they usually think of the developmental distance which traslates itself
into emotional distance." said the Prime Minister Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee
at the meeting with Governors and Chief Ministers of North-Eastern states
on May 8th, 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 Jan.22, 2000.
The agenda covered 28 programmes
as schemes incompassing 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 Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee as the main areas of defficiencies
and concern. HE also pointed out the late entry of the North-Eatern states
in the overall planting process, lesser community participation, lickage
and insurgency as prominent issues that sapped the resources, at the same
time diverting attention of the administration. The agenda clearly reflex
and addresses these concerns.
The agenda can broadly be subdivided
into three segments - Infrastructures (Physical & Social), education
and information technology and internal security. The infrastructure segment
aims at according top priority to improvement of communication links, development
of rural infrastructure, setting up a Export Development Fund (EDF) banking
facilities, upgradation of health and medical services, implementation
of hydro-project, electrification of tribal villagers, completion of road
and bridge projects, building extension of national highways. Hydro-energy
potential has been identified for full exploitation and Teesta and Loatak
Hydro Power projects are major intiatives in this area. Upgradation of
12 new national high ways covering 1962 Kms. and construction of 11 roads
are another major step forward. Budget has been provided for critical transmission
lines and electrification of 500 tribal vilages of the region has been
taken up in a big way.
To adress the issue of unemployment,
creation of skilled manpower is aim at generating sense of local enterprise
and thus designed to create more employment opportunities. To this end,
the agenda ends to double the number of I.T.I.s. A scheme to provide computer
information centres in all the bl;ocks of the region is also under way,
with 30 blocks already been covered. Loksabha 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 Eatern
region has been plugged by insurgency and extortion for quite sometime.
Besides instilling fear among the local populace, twin meanaces 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 of the full border townships, modernisation 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 3 India Reseve 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 hide over its financial problems.
Oftenin the past good intentions
were undone by bad implementation of schemes and programmes. Even today
, the agenda has been facing problem og implementation due to adverse geographical
factors such as hostile terrain and resistance from the locally entrenched
vested interests. Despite these teething troubles, the Prime Ministers
of East has been unfazed and relentless in the persuit of proper implementation
of the varios 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 og North Eastern region to ensure
proper implementation and see to it that benefits of the agenda percolate
down to the masses . The Prime Minister to made it clear when he said that
the state Government have to " ensure time bound implementation of projects
and transperency 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 8 states of the region. Though
much still request to be done, action on seven out of 28 schemes has been
completed and 17 schemes are under implementation. 3 other schemes for
which sanctioned 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 minimise
and than remove geographical', 'developmental', 'mental', and 'emotional'
distances between the North East and the rest of the country. These 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 region is central
to the concerns of the policy makers in the Government, in perticular,
and the nation, in general.
PIB features.
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