People's Democracy

 NORTH EAST DEVELOPMENT

Time For Action, Not Words – Manik Sarkar

Following is the text of the speech delivered by Tripura chief minister, Manik Sarkar, at the 2nd meeting of the restructured North Eastern Council (NEC) held in Shillong on June 22, 2005.

AS honourable members are aware, one of the major decisions of the North Eastern Council, after it was restructured, was the preparation of NER Vision 2020 for the integrated development of the region. While this is a laudable aim, I should add a word of caution. North East India has been lagging behind the rest of India in terms of development and we have time and again spoken of our feeling of neglect. We have spent enough time discussing theories of development and uttering pious words of hope and wisdom. Now is the time for action. People of the states of North East region want to see action and if we fail to act now, the formation and the very existence of NEC will be questioned. Therefore, I urge concrete steps. We can deliberate and discuss, certainly, but let us not substitute words for action. Let us not try to prepare such a perfect plan that it never takes off.

My premise is very simple. The state exists for the people, especially for those that cannot fend for themselves. If we cannot ensure that the lives of the poorest of our people become livable, we shall have no right to claim that we have discharged our responsibility. Therefore, I urge all distinguished and learned persons here to prepare a concrete, result-oriented plan of action. We need three things – infrastructure, human development, including healthcare & education, and job generation.

We need infrastructure especially of communication – road, rail and air connectivity, a reliable telecommunication network, power connectivity and extensive irrigation facilities. We need broad gauge railway connectivity in all our towns. We need four-lane state of the art national highways in the East-West corridor and the network of neighbouring services. I feel setting up of a separate airline only for the north eastern region may not be wise, as it would become a high liability. I feel the observation that helicopter services are too risky is sweeping and needs to be re-examined, as helicopter services are necessary for reaching some of the interior and far-flung areas of the region.

Secondly, we need to ensure quality healthcare services, safe drinking water, sanitation and quality education. The third issue relates to generation of large scale employment opportunities. North East is a treasure house of natural resources. But these are as yet under-utilised due to avoidable bottlenecks. Irrigation facilities have to be dramatically improved. Rainwater harvesting has to be promoted on a large scale. Introduction of appropriate technology, mobilisation of local entrepreneurs and self help groups etc. are required to be given specific emphasis for ensuring this. We need to cash in on our proximity to South East Asia and make the ‘Look East’ policy a reality.

If we are able to harness our resources and tap our potential, the north east can become a beacon to the rest of the country. Why should we always harp about our backwardness? This region has better human development indices than the rest of the country. It is also richer in natural resources. Its beauty and greenery is unparalleled. We are sitting on the crossroads of an Asian century and the way to South East Asia lies through our lands. Why should we all aspire to equal only the rest of India? I dream of the region becoming a place where people would come to do their shopping. A place where the poorest man lives in dignity. I know this is easier said than done. Yet unless we dream big dreams, we will never progress. Time belongs to people who have the courage to dream big and the perseverance to work hard for making the same into a reality.

But to achieve all this we need resources. Without enough funds, these dreams will never become a reality. I endorse the proposal for moving the government of India for enhancing the provision of the council for 2005-06 from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1136.81 crore. I feel we should take it up collectively in the coming meeting of the NDC on June 27. Apart from allocation of additional resources, we may request government of India to maintain existing funding pattern of Plan schemes for the special category states instead of deducting the loan component of the assistance, as some of the member states like ours will find it difficult to mobilise 10 per cent by way of loan as envisaged.

Equitable distribution of available resources among the member states has been a matter of debate in the council for the last several years. A formula has already been consciously adopted in the 45th meeting of the council. Yet as far as Tripura is concerned, share of NEC fund has remained abysmally low. I hope this matter will get due attention and the new formula to be evolved, if at all necessary, will do justice to all the member states.

INSURGENCY PROBLEM

While the main thrust should be on development, we should not loose sight of the fact that we are also beset with the problem of insurgency. The following need to be done:

• The support which militant groups get in neighbouring countries like Bangladesh should end.

• The camps of militants in Bangladesh should be demolished and the militants handed over to India.

• Bank accounts of insurgent groups should be frozen.

• Border fencing needs to be completed quickly.

• People affected by border fencing should be resettled.

• Border roads should be realigned along the fencing.

• We need to induct more battalions of BSF to effectively manage the border.

• States need to be supported in the further modernisation of their police forces.

• Intelligence sharing across states and across agencies is a crucial component of security.

• Hostile forces should be effectively controlled. At the same time, Land Custom Centers and border haats should be established and strengthened to increase trade and civil interactions on the border.

In the Report of the Secretary, there is a reference to spiritual and religion-based institutions on which I have reservations. As a part of our Constitutional commitment of being a secular State, I feel secularism should be the guiding principle of the council.

I thank all members for their time and I again urge speed and action. Let us make our procedures transparent and quick. Let not the aspirations of our people get bogged down in procedural delays and the quicksand of files.