Direct market borrowing may create difficulties: Zoramthanga

New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga today said substitution of the Central loan financing by direct access of States to market borrowing as recommended by the 12th Finance Commission may create serious operational difficulties.

''We strongly urge that the previous practice of inter-mediation by the Centre should continue for some more time for Normal Central Assistance and ACA until some agreed mechanism is put in place to meet the shortfall,'' Mr Zoramthanga said while addressing the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council convened by the Prime Minister here.

The meeting was held to consider and approve the draft Approach Paper to the Eleventh Plan.

''Mizoram, along with other Northeastern states, is a Special Category State. If we are left to ourselves to borrow funds from the open market, our plan performance is bound to suffer,'' the Mizoram Chief Minister pointed out.

He said a major chunk of the state's resources were being spent on importing foodgrains and edible items for which the old practice of shifting cultivation was responsible.

He said the Approach Paper should address this problem as it required ''bigger intervention'' by the Centre.

Mr Zoramthanga also called for closer involvement of Central Agencies like NAFED, APEDA and TRIFED to ensure that farmers in the northeast got competitive prices for their produce.

He said emphasis will be given to augment the present infrastructure of power generation and distribution in the 11th Plan.

He proposed the construction of three hydel power projects to bridge the gap between power generation and consumption.

Observing that the Northeast region has its own ''peculiar'' problems, the Mizoram Chief Minister said flexible norms and guidelines in implementation of Central schemes would go a long way in ensuring balanced regional development.

He urged the Centre to construct a National Highway to connect al district headquarters in the state, upgradation of the lone railway link Bairabi to broad guage and inclusion of Lengpui (Aizawl) Airport for modernisation.

The Approach Paper envisages modernisation of four airports in the northeast -- Guwahati, Dimapur, Agartala and Imphal.

He called for more bamboo link roads during the 11th Plan to harvest the abundant bamboo forest and soon take up new plantation.

Mr Zoramthanga stressed on vocationalisation of education in the region to provide job-oriented training as well as education to the youth.

He also urged the Centre not to transfer all the Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in the state during the 10th Plan period. Even if the Schemes were to be transferred to the States, the required fund should also be transferred correspondingly, he added.

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