NE States’ Plea to NDC
New Delhi, Dec 19: States of the North-east on Wednesday urged the central government to allocate sufficient funds for infrastructure development in the region.
Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said new thrust should be given to promote border trade with South East Asian countries for sustained economic development of the North-eastern region.
“A new thrust needs to be given to the promotion of border trade under the Look East Policy,” he said.
Rio said opening up of trade with South East Asian countries would not only boost the economy, but also remove the sense of isolation among the people.
He said an expressway should be built along the strategic Indo-Myanmar border which will open up the area for trade and economic activities.
"The Highway will not only open up the area for trade and economic development, but will also serve as the highway for patrolling the international border, and for checking of illegal trafficking of drugs and arms through the famous Golden Triangle," Rio said.
Emphasizing the importance of developing transport infrastructure such as airports and railway lines, Rio said all state capitals should be linked by expressways.
The Chief Minister said adequate focus should be given to youth empowerment through training and capacity building so that they get gainful employment.
Appropriate technical training institutes should be established in the insurgency-infested state to wean away the youth from insurgency and other destructive activities, he said.
Rio said the vast hydro-power potential of the region should be exploited. He said the region could be turned into a "tourist paradise" provided required infrastructure is built.
Manipur sought conversion of long and medium term central loans as one-time grants, saying expenditure on security has grown due to increased terrorist activities in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said annual plan allocation along with the non-plan funds is inadequate to meet state government's "genuine needs".
"There is a need for more extensive road network and improvement of existing roads in the North-east," Singh said.
Favouring devolvement of 50 per cent taxes from the Centre to the states, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said there is an urgent need to review relations between the two.
"In the fast-changing situation, review of the Centre-State relations is urgently felt and it is the need of the hour," Sarkar said at the National Development Council meeting here.
He said that strengthening of the states will help in promoting the unity and integrity of the country.
Sarkar said 50 per cent of the share of taxes should devolve to the states and the present system of red tapism should be removed at any cost.
Pleading central assistance for development programmes, the Assam government said inadequate distribution of funds and backwardness have generated insurgency.
"The population of two hill districts of the state is 10 lakh while the states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, which were carved out of Assam, have a population of 23 lakhs, 20 lakhs and nine lakh respectively," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.
Pitching for a "paradigm shift" in the development strategy, Mizoram sought increased central assistance to remove infrastructure bottlenecks in the state. Mizoram requires special attention from the Centre to ensure inclusive economic growth, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said.
"On careful examination of sectoral growth of the economy, it has been found that the situation is not satisfactory. Each sector needs comprehensive restructuring which might require a paradigm shift in the planning process," he said.
Making a fervent appeal for upgrading infrastructure along the international border, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu said there was an urgent need to develop frontier areas to match the progress made by China in its territories.
"The necessity of developing the border areas is urgently required in view of the efforts and achievements made by our neighbours, particularly China, to develop infrastructure and services on their side to international standards," Khandu added.
Posted On: Nagaland Post
Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said new thrust should be given to promote border trade with South East Asian countries for sustained economic development of the North-eastern region.
“A new thrust needs to be given to the promotion of border trade under the Look East Policy,” he said.
Rio said opening up of trade with South East Asian countries would not only boost the economy, but also remove the sense of isolation among the people.
He said an expressway should be built along the strategic Indo-Myanmar border which will open up the area for trade and economic activities.
"The Highway will not only open up the area for trade and economic development, but will also serve as the highway for patrolling the international border, and for checking of illegal trafficking of drugs and arms through the famous Golden Triangle," Rio said.
Emphasizing the importance of developing transport infrastructure such as airports and railway lines, Rio said all state capitals should be linked by expressways.
The Chief Minister said adequate focus should be given to youth empowerment through training and capacity building so that they get gainful employment.
Appropriate technical training institutes should be established in the insurgency-infested state to wean away the youth from insurgency and other destructive activities, he said.
Rio said the vast hydro-power potential of the region should be exploited. He said the region could be turned into a "tourist paradise" provided required infrastructure is built.
Manipur sought conversion of long and medium term central loans as one-time grants, saying expenditure on security has grown due to increased terrorist activities in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said annual plan allocation along with the non-plan funds is inadequate to meet state government's "genuine needs".
"There is a need for more extensive road network and improvement of existing roads in the North-east," Singh said.
Favouring devolvement of 50 per cent taxes from the Centre to the states, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said there is an urgent need to review relations between the two.
"In the fast-changing situation, review of the Centre-State relations is urgently felt and it is the need of the hour," Sarkar said at the National Development Council meeting here.
He said that strengthening of the states will help in promoting the unity and integrity of the country.
Sarkar said 50 per cent of the share of taxes should devolve to the states and the present system of red tapism should be removed at any cost.
Pleading central assistance for development programmes, the Assam government said inadequate distribution of funds and backwardness have generated insurgency.
"The population of two hill districts of the state is 10 lakh while the states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, which were carved out of Assam, have a population of 23 lakhs, 20 lakhs and nine lakh respectively," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.
Pitching for a "paradigm shift" in the development strategy, Mizoram sought increased central assistance to remove infrastructure bottlenecks in the state. Mizoram requires special attention from the Centre to ensure inclusive economic growth, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said.
"On careful examination of sectoral growth of the economy, it has been found that the situation is not satisfactory. Each sector needs comprehensive restructuring which might require a paradigm shift in the planning process," he said.
Making a fervent appeal for upgrading infrastructure along the international border, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu said there was an urgent need to develop frontier areas to match the progress made by China in its territories.
"The necessity of developing the border areas is urgently required in view of the efforts and achievements made by our neighbours, particularly China, to develop infrastructure and services on their side to international standards," Khandu added.
Posted On: Nagaland Post