India News Online » News Analysis » Indian Politics » 

NEC meeting : States urge Centre to be liberal

	February 20, 2006

The Chief Ministers of the north-eastern states have urged the Centre to adopt a liberal policy in allocating funds for the development of the backward region.



Speaking at the 52nd meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC), they along with state Governors spoke in one voice on Feb. 17 on the need for more funds. The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have also been apprised on this,” DoNER Minister P.R. Kyndiah told newsmen after the meeting.



The Chief Ministers’ plea comes ahead of the forthcoming crucial discussion on budget in Parliament and close on the heels of an enhanced estimate forwarded by the DoNER ministry to the Planning Commission for the 2006-2007 fiscal. The ministry has demanded Rs 1,220 crore under the non-lapsable pool and Rs 1,337 crore for the NEC.



In their speeches, the Chief Ministers highlighted the mismatch between the original plan estimate for the NEC for the Tenth Five Year Plan and the total amount sanctioned. Though it was earlier planned that the regional body would be given Rs 3,500 crore during this term, only Rs 1,912 crore has been released so far.



“Certain specific new projects have to be funded during 2006-07, the terminal year of the Tenth Five Year Plan. Adequate provision must be kept for the same besides keeping provision for completion of ongoing projects,” Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said.



More funds are also needed for the implementation of the NE Vision 2020 which is expected to be ready by May, Kyndiah said, adding that the document would be discussed at the next NEC meeting scheduled to be held in June.



Except Assam and Sikkim, the conclave was attended by all other Governors and Chief Ministers.



The conference discussed a host of issues such as tourism, bamboo, industrialisation and information technology.



The participants decided to set up a North East Tourism Development Corporation since tourism could be an “engine of growth” for the region as well as an advisory body for the growth of industries in the region.



Kyndiah said the NEC would urge the Centre to offer more incentives so that corporate houses are attracted to invest in the region.







Striking a different note, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang said the NEC should confine itself to planning.



“Funds should be allotted directly by the Centre to the states on the basis of their geographical size,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.







Starvation deaths : Hunger horror stalks tea estate



The humanitarian crisis in a south Assam tea estate that has been under lockout for nearly a month appeared to spin out of control last week after restive workers claimed that two more among them had died of starvation.



Roopacherra tea estate, in Hailakandi district, attracted the media’s attention last week, when workers decided to defy the lockout and start plucking and selling leaf to other factories for their survival. The trigger for the decision, taken by the workers’ panchayat, was the death of a three-year-old girl of suspected malnutrition.



The Hailakandi administration sent a fact-finding team to the garden to confirm the alleged starvation deaths. Deputy commissioner P.P. Baruah said the team, which was led by a magistrate, reported back to him that all residents of the labour colony might not be garden workers. “In any case, we arranged for distribution of food in the labour lines last week and have since been monitoring the situation.”



Roopacherra tea estate has a 1,400-strong workforce, who have been paid no wages since a lockout was declared on January 19. All executives left the tea estate immediately. The reason cited by the management for the lockout was “flagrant violation of instructions relating to attendance”.



The first suspected starvation death was that of a three-year-old girl identified as Shivani Kalindi. The other two were Yogendra Kalindi, 22, and Manorama Dev, 60.