NE CMs for special chapter 11th Plan

Shillong, July 8: Chief Ministers of the North Eastern states including Sikkim today urged the Planning Commission for the inclusion of a special chapter in the draft approach paper to the 11th Five-Year Plan for accelerated development of the region as a whole.

Taking part in the Regional Consultation on draft Approach Paper for the 11th Five-Year Plan at Hotel Pinewood here today, the Chief Ministers requested the Commission to lay more emphasis on the agriculture sector, which is the backbone of the region.

Welcoming the targeted growth rate of eight to nine per cent, the CMs said the growth should be broad based and benefit the people living in the rural areas of the NE.

The Chief Ministers of the North Eastern states including Sikkim placed these demands during the consultation meeting on the approach to the 11th Five Year Plan, attended by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Union Minister in-charge for Development of North Eastern Region Patty Ripple Kyndiah and other Planning Commission officials.

Assam Minister in-charge Planning Prithvi Maji who represented CM Tarun Gogoi even suggested the creation of a specialized cell within the Planning Commission to prepare an exclusive Plan for the North East to reduce the disparity of growth between the North Eastern Region and the rest of the country.

Pointing out that the region shares 98 per cent of its boundaries with other countries and only two per cent with the mainland, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said in terms of geographical proximity, the NE is closer to South East Asia nations and therefore there are ''strong reasons'' for framing a concrete Look East Policy for the promotion of trade and commerce with SE Asia.

Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai felt the need for a ''Look South Policy'' in the Plan document under which the export infrastructure in India will be improved and enduring linkages with Bangladesh markets created. Mr Rymbai called for immediate opening of the border markets, which were closed with the partition of the country.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang said the ''real challenge'' before his state was to provide essential services to the poor, particularly health and education, infrastructure, regaining agricultural dynamism, giving boost to tourism, energy initiatives and employment generation.

Pointing out that hydro-power generation potential in NE was immense, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh called for tapping of the still un-utilised hydro-power of 1104 MWs in his state. He also said a transit route for the NER through Bangladesh to West Bengal and to the Bay of Bengal would reduce transportation cost and help boost the economy of the region.

Sikkim Chief Minister termed the re-opening of the historic Nathula trade route with China as a ''major peace dividend'' for the state and emphasised it would be in the interest of the overall growth of the NE as well as national security to provide full and complete infrastructure of roads, rail links and airports.

Calling for enhanced investment in the public sector rather than the private sector, Tripura CM Manik Sarkar also laid emphasis on the development of infrastructure and air and road connectivity in the region. Mr Sarkar said, ''All state capitals in the region should have functional airports.'' Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said for a resource deficit state like his, the Centre would have to step in to meet the share of the state government over and above the Viability Gap Funding.

Presiding over the first regional consultation meeting on the draft approach paper to the 11th Five Year Plan, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the Indian economy was in a much stronger position than it was a few years ago.

Mr Ahluwalia said, ''Work done in the Planning Commission and elsewhere suggests that the economy can grow between eight per cent and nine per cent per year on a sustained basis provided appropriate policies are put in place''.

''The 11th Plan provides an opportunity to restructure policies to achieve a new vision growth that will be much more broad based and inclusive, bringing about a faster reduction in poverty and helping bridge the divide that are currently the focus of so much attention,'' Mr Ahluwalia said.

''With population growing at 1.5 per cent per year, this would ensure the real income of the average Indian would double in 10 years,'' the Deputy Chairman said.

UNI