Asom to counter insurgency with growth

Guwahati, Feb 3 (UNI) The Asom government has adopted the ploy of countering insurgency with accelerated growth, with the new Annual Plan for the state laying emphasis on development of the backward and insurgency-affected areas.

Addressing a press conference here today, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, ''We will try to curb insurgency with development. Law and order measures will have its place, but it can solve the insurgency problem only in the short term.'' He said the state had approached the Centre for special schemes for development of insurgency-affected and other backward areas.

''The Centre has agreed on the principle and asked us to draw schemes for development of these areas,'' he added.

Conceding that deprived and backward areas were more vulnerable for recruiting militants, Mr Gogoi said insurgency was not confined to any specific area-type.

He said, ''Even the most developed districts have remote pockets which are far behind in development. We will concentrate on these areas.'' He pointed out that Rs 3,800 crore has been sanctioned for this year's Annual Plan, the highest for the state so far, and a substantial portion of it would be spend on development of remote areas and agriculture.

Mr Gogoi said, ''The state had registered negative growth rate in the agriculture sector in the last plans. This year, we are targeting at least a positive growth rate, though it may not be much.'' On the targeted overall growth rate for the state in the 11th five-year plan, the chief minister said, ''We have set a target of 6.5 per cent growth in GDP, but we will aim at eight per cent.'' He pointed out that the state had registered an increase in growth rate from 2.83 per cent in the 9th Plan to 6.2 per cent in the next plan.

He added that per capita income and nutrition, among others, have gone up over the years while condition of the people below poverty line has improved.

Mr Gogoi, however, said much was yet to be done and equal growth of all areas was a priority of the government.

He said, ''High drop-out rate is a serious concern. Unfinished education could lead to growth in insurgency. We will be focusing on it in this plan.'' He said the government would welcome private investment in setting up educational and vocational training institutes, adding that an expert body would be formed soon to draw a policy in this regard.

The chief minister also said micro-finance would be given a boost in the state and Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus would visit the state to help in it emulating the Bangladesh model.

UNI