Threshold Vibrance
North East Region of India is strategically located, boxed by Bhutan, China, Myanmar & Bangladesh and connected to rest of the country by 22 mile wide Siliguri corridor famously called ‘Chicken Neck’. This region is also resource rich, underdeveloped and conflict scarred.
Now is the time when the scene is changing for the better i.e. towards threshold of vibrant economy, to take off and no looking back thereafter. I have my reasons to support this view. Two main inputs for development i.e. communications and power are being put into place. Communications: surface,air and water communications are being improved;NH-39 & 53 have been ordered to be four laned; rail links are being improved – New Azra to Byrnihat (to connect Meghalaya to Delhi), Dimapur to Kohima, Jiribam to Imphal, Kumarghat to Agratala etc., besides broad gauging of some meter gauge rail links; more air lines are coming into fray , feasibility of new airports is being worked out; Mizoram will become a trade hub when trade starts through Sittwe port in Myanmar which is being linked through 160 km of water way (through Kaladan River)& 65 km of road link.
Next is power: this region has 50000 MW potential of HeP but only 4029 MW (7%) have been tapped. Efforts are on to tap the unharnessed potential to make this region not only self sufficient but also feed deficiency of rest of the nation. 1800 km long transmission lines are being laid to transfer surplus power to distribution centre at Agra.
Besides the above there other inputs and indicators. Four land custom stations (LCS) i.e. International trade points are being developed; Moreh in Manipur, Dawki in Meghalaya, Sutrakandi in Assam and Agartala in Tripura that will go a long way in changing the trade balance in favor of this region . Indian Institute of Entrepreneurs at Guwhati is training young entrepreneurs. Floriculture is being encouraged (recently first consignment of roses from Nagaland was exported to Dubai). Multi Tourism is being encouraged. ARTFED dealing with handloom has held successful exhibitions in Mauritius and Germany. New international trade agreements are being inked e.g. tripartite MoU among Industries and Trade Fair association of Assam(ITFAA) ,Indo Myanmar Border Trade Chamber of Commerce(UMBTCC) and Union of Myanmar Border Trade Chambers of Cmmerce(UMBTCC) to boost bilateral trade involving more number of traders.
We all know Indian economy is potraying its vibrancy. Testimony is recent mergers & acquisitions e.g. Ratan Tata taking over Corus, Laxmi Mittal acquiring Arcelor etc. India has been adjudged a land of opportunities. Mr Udai Chawla, India based managing partner of the global executive service firm Tran services says “India is proving to be one of the greatest economic stories of the world today, the country has not only emerged as an important destination for doing business for global corporate but expatriate professionals are coming to India due to its increasing credibility and paying capacity”.
The need is not to let go the golden opportunity. When others can use the opportunities of our nation, why not we in this part of the country? Do we lack something that others have? Answer is NO! We have the resources, we have the Will and we have the enterprise that we need to use.
The requirement is to come out of make belief and face the reality. We need to shun the decelerators of growth ie. Parochialism and violence but synergize the efforts at all levels i.e. the Centre, State and local area. One reads in the papers the vehemence against exploring the resources of this region. We need to keep in mind, Explored resource is better than Unexplored since it will be used for the benefit of local populace of parent state , region and nation as a whole. Violence can only stop/slow the progress rather than accelerate e.g. killing of 13 North Eastern Frontier employees by Black Widow group of DHD have benefited whom? Methinks none; rather such acts discourage the investors, entrepreneurs and workers and affect badly needed progress. Need of the hour is; leaders (centre and state) and the citizens have cut across all barriers, seize the opportunity and make this region a Jewel in the Crown of India where people are committed to respective occupations in peaceful way. It may not be wrong to say that region can be the investors envy.
“It is neither wealth nor splendour but tranquility and occupation which gives peace”
‘ Thomas Jefferson’
Now is the time when the scene is changing for the better i.e. towards threshold of vibrant economy, to take off and no looking back thereafter. I have my reasons to support this view. Two main inputs for development i.e. communications and power are being put into place. Communications: surface,air and water communications are being improved;NH-39 & 53 have been ordered to be four laned; rail links are being improved – New Azra to Byrnihat (to connect Meghalaya to Delhi), Dimapur to Kohima, Jiribam to Imphal, Kumarghat to Agratala etc., besides broad gauging of some meter gauge rail links; more air lines are coming into fray , feasibility of new airports is being worked out; Mizoram will become a trade hub when trade starts through Sittwe port in Myanmar which is being linked through 160 km of water way (through Kaladan River)& 65 km of road link.
Next is power: this region has 50000 MW potential of HeP but only 4029 MW (7%) have been tapped. Efforts are on to tap the unharnessed potential to make this region not only self sufficient but also feed deficiency of rest of the nation. 1800 km long transmission lines are being laid to transfer surplus power to distribution centre at Agra.
Besides the above there other inputs and indicators. Four land custom stations (LCS) i.e. International trade points are being developed; Moreh in Manipur, Dawki in Meghalaya, Sutrakandi in Assam and Agartala in Tripura that will go a long way in changing the trade balance in favor of this region . Indian Institute of Entrepreneurs at Guwhati is training young entrepreneurs. Floriculture is being encouraged (recently first consignment of roses from Nagaland was exported to Dubai). Multi Tourism is being encouraged. ARTFED dealing with handloom has held successful exhibitions in Mauritius and Germany. New international trade agreements are being inked e.g. tripartite MoU among Industries and Trade Fair association of Assam(ITFAA) ,Indo Myanmar Border Trade Chamber of Commerce(UMBTCC) and Union of Myanmar Border Trade Chambers of Cmmerce(UMBTCC) to boost bilateral trade involving more number of traders.
We all know Indian economy is potraying its vibrancy. Testimony is recent mergers & acquisitions e.g. Ratan Tata taking over Corus, Laxmi Mittal acquiring Arcelor etc. India has been adjudged a land of opportunities. Mr Udai Chawla, India based managing partner of the global executive service firm Tran services says “India is proving to be one of the greatest economic stories of the world today, the country has not only emerged as an important destination for doing business for global corporate but expatriate professionals are coming to India due to its increasing credibility and paying capacity”.
The need is not to let go the golden opportunity. When others can use the opportunities of our nation, why not we in this part of the country? Do we lack something that others have? Answer is NO! We have the resources, we have the Will and we have the enterprise that we need to use.
The requirement is to come out of make belief and face the reality. We need to shun the decelerators of growth ie. Parochialism and violence but synergize the efforts at all levels i.e. the Centre, State and local area. One reads in the papers the vehemence against exploring the resources of this region. We need to keep in mind, Explored resource is better than Unexplored since it will be used for the benefit of local populace of parent state , region and nation as a whole. Violence can only stop/slow the progress rather than accelerate e.g. killing of 13 North Eastern Frontier employees by Black Widow group of DHD have benefited whom? Methinks none; rather such acts discourage the investors, entrepreneurs and workers and affect badly needed progress. Need of the hour is; leaders (centre and state) and the citizens have cut across all barriers, seize the opportunity and make this region a Jewel in the Crown of India where people are committed to respective occupations in peaceful way. It may not be wrong to say that region can be the investors envy.
“It is neither wealth nor splendour but tranquility and occupation which gives peace”
‘ Thomas Jefferson’
1 comment:
This article icreased my knowledge about north east.
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