Friday, December 14, 2007

North-East Vision – 2020

Quite appropriately the editorial NE Vision–2020 (AT, November 8) has expressed doubt about the possibility of the North East catching up with the economic growth of other parts of India by 2020. The North East Vision–2020 prepared by the North Eastern Council in collaboration with NIPFP, New Delhi sounds hollow and its envision is not realistic. The text of the Vision seems to be a replica of theoretical concept of growth of large industrial house, camouflaged with high sounding words and phrases, prepared without any basic analysis of the existing situation and offering no concrete programme for higher economic growth.

It is surprising that a common Vision is projected for a group of eight socio-economically heterogeneous States. The fact that density of population (per sq.ft. km) in this region varies from 340 (in Assam) down to 13 (Arunachal) is ignored. Urban population in percentage of the total population in Assam is only 12.72, while that in Mizoram is 49.5. This variation in population pattern necessitates different orientations of rural/urban development schemes. 52 per cent of the total NE area is covered by forest, while in case of Assam it is only 22 per cent. Thus each State has its own strength and weakness and that should be analyzed properly for any future development.

This suggests that for materialization of any Vision each State of the region will have to be treated as a separate entity. And so there is nothing wrong if we have Vision Assam: 2020. From the summary of the NE Vision document it appears that the authors even failed to identify the most burning problems of the region. The statement like “This region is richly endowed with natural resources” is vague and in fact misleading. The North East cannot expect to have any mineral based major industry in addition to that in the oil sector. Currently crude production in this region is not enough even to feed the existing refineries in the area. It is not necessary to emphasize that any Vision for Assam must assure top priorities for flood control, employment enhancement and population control. For economic growth of Assam, the Vision must focus on stopping the recurring damage caused by flood and then on development of all types of small industries. However, no Vision will succeed unless the rampant corruption in the “system” is checked effectively. —Yours etc., DR GAKUL GOSWAMI, Ratnapur, Nagaon.

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