Gogoi wants investment in the Tourism sector

New Delhi, Dec 9: Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today Tourism has the highest potential to generate employment in terms of its capital employment ratio.

Addressing the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) here, Mr Gogoi said substantial increase of investment in Tourism sector during Eleventh Five Year Plan would ensure generation of adequate employment opportunities in the State.

Mr Gogoi said the special package which is being offered to Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) may also be extended to all those councils which are predominantly inhabited by Tribal people. The existing infrastructure available in these council areas is very poor and not conducive for taking up development works.

He said the plan assistance received by Asom for its sixth schedule areas is much less compared to the grant received by Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram. He said these discrepencies by the Planning Commission should be removed at the earliest through Special Central Assistance under the annual plan to equalise the benefit.

He said all the efforts for development will prove futile if adequate steps are not taken to control floods and erosion, which not only affect the standing crops but also cause loss of assets, infrastructures, cattle and human lives every year. Focused attention needs to be given during 11th plan for controlling floods and erosion and to reduce damages.

Mr Gogoi said that the surplus power generated by the mega projects in North Eastern Region (NER) should be made available on first priority for growth of the industry to the deficit States of NER before its evacuation to other States. For this purpose policy intervention, if required, should be made on a priority basis.

Mr Gogoi said the State has enough potential for development of waterways in the river Brahmaputra, barak and its tributaries, which can provide alternative cheap mode for transport of goods and over dimensional cargo. The eleventh plan should lay emphasis on the development of the waterways. It would simultaneously help in the development of industrial growth in the region.

He said the tea industry in the State which provides employemnt for more than six lakh persons, has been passing through serious crisis since last few years. it has not only threatened the jobs of persons engaged in it but also caused loss of State's revenue, which comes as agriculture income tax.

There is an urgent need for replacement of old and withering tea bushes for increasing productivity and production of better quality tea. It could be possible only through a special package, involving increase in re-plantation subsidy, extension of transport subsidy and exemption of excise duty.

He said considering the locational disadvantages of the State and the entire North Eastern Region (NER), the stipulated norms for the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) may be modified suitably and funded fully with central support till any private party is willing to invest.

Appreciating the idea of a Second Green Revolution (SGR) Mr Gogoi said the focus of the SGR should be for the growth of agriculture in the NER.

Mr Gogoi also stressed the need for giving more attention in the 11th plan for the development of Small Scale and other industries in the State.

He also emphasised the need for the setting up of growth centres, Border Trade Centres and Training Institutes for accelerating economic activities and growth.

He also demanded a one time assistance of Rs 100 crore for modernisation of the Asom Agriculture University, which is catering the needs of the entire NER, he added.

UNI