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Though it has been repeatedly held up as the gateway for India's Look East policy, the country's growth story has left the region behind. While the Northeast itself aspires to take advantage of India's increasing ties with East Asia, it is hardly in a position to do so. The Northeast India faces several problems, which have prevented it from developing at par with the rest of the country. To understand those problems better it is essential to look at the Geographical aspects of the Northeast region.
Therefore, these few geographical aspects of the Northeast region are somewhat responsible for the backwardness of this region.
The Northeast region of India is economically and socially somewhat backward as compared to the mainland. There are several factors responsible for this underdevelopment like Historical, Geographical, Cultural, Social etc. We attempt to identify those factors and analyse how they have been responsible for the underdevelopment of the Northeast region. It is true that compared to the several of the Indian states, the Northeast has witnesses a tardy progress but there are several fronts on which the Northeast states rank higher than rest of the states
However, despite these positive aspects, the Northeast region has largely lagged behind the rest of the country in terms of growth and development. The factors responsible are -
With the partition of India, trading routes with rest of the world were closed which seriously damaged the economic and growth potential of the region.
The region’s accessibility and transport links with the rest of India has always remained weak due to uneven topography & limited access through the Chicken’s Neck Corridor.
In addition, landslides and river erosion put considerable strain on the economy of Northeast regions.
Dearth of local capital has also prevented the industry of Northeast from growing. Infrastructural bottlenecks have also crippled the industrial growth The tea industry is the major industry and it is suffering due to – o Old age of plantations thereby leading to reduced productivity o Competition from other countries like Sri Lanka o Land erosion in plantations o Conflicts between owners and labour over remuneration and welfare benefits
Agriculture techniques are traditional, use of modern inputs like HYVs, fertilizers is minimal, and hence productivity is low.
Jhum cultivation is not just low in productivity but is also responsible for large scale deforestation and soil erosion.
There is oil but the reserves are of less quantity accounting for a very small proportion of total domestic production
The region is deficient in industrially useful metals like iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, tin, lead and nickel etc.
Mining is indiscriminate and unregulated thereby leading to wastage of precious mineral resources and land degradation
o Poor education infrastructure that has led to poor development of Human capital o Poor education has led to affluent families sending their children outside the region to big cities of India or abroad thereby leading to brain drain o Substance addiction is another issue that has almost 30% of region’s youth under its grip. The proximity to Golden Triangle is a factor behind this. o The pandemic of HIV/AIDS spreading fats in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram is a matter of concern. o The inter-tribal issues, the issues over tribal identities & rights also have the recipe to unsettle the social order and peace in the Northeast region
Steps Taken
Given the series of Social, Economic, Geographic and security related problems the Northeast region faces; the government has taken a series of steps for the development of the region. These are -
North East Council - With a view to give an undivided attention to the development of the region, in 1971, the Government of India set up the North Eastern Council. All the eight states are its members. With headquarters in Shillong, it functions under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MD0NER). The council, initially set up as an advisory body, now has been sanctioned as a regional planning body since 2002. They now discuss any matter in which the North Eastern States have a common interest and decide the action to be taken on any such matter.
MoDONER - The Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region established in September 2001, which functions as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of NE, act as a facilitator between the Central Ministries/ Departments and the State Governments of the North Eastern Region in the matters of economic development including removal of infrastructural bottlenecks, provision of basic minimum services, creating an environment for private investment and removing the impediments to lasting peace and security in the region.
Various organisations/agencies under MoDONER –
o NEDFCL - The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFCL) is a Public Limited Company providing assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises within the NER.
o NERAMAC – NERAMAC (North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation) was set up to support farmers/producers of north east getting remunerative prices for their produce and thereby bridge the gap between the farmers and the market and to enhance the agricultural, procurement, processing and marketing infrastructure of the Northeastern Region of India.
o SMC – Sikkim Mining Corporation, a state controlled unit under MoDONER to oversee the mining activities in Sikkim
o NEHHDC - North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Ltd (NEHHDC), is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry Of Development of North Eastern Region mandated for development and promotion of North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms. The Corporation has been spearheading various activities which relate to development, production, promotion and marketing viz., training and design development, skill up gradation, capacity building, awareness generation amongst artisans and weavers, R&D activities, marketing and exports. It has its own chain of retail outlets by the Brand name “Purbashree”, which is a one stop shop for various handloom and handicraft products of Northeast India.
NLCPR - During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee rule, the union ministries were mandated to spend 10% of their budget allocations for the development of North-Eastern region. However, in case the ministries failed to spend the said amount for north-east development purpose, those unspent funds would be diverted to a Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR).
The Ministry for Development of Northeastern Region allocates funds from the NLCPR to various Northeast states for infrastructure projects. Ministry of DoNER allocates funds under two schemes viz. NLCPR (State) and NLCPR-Central for which annual budgetary allocations are provided in the normal budgetary process.
Recent Steps taken –
o NLCPR has been extended till 2020
o For filling the gaps in physical and social infrastructure in the Northeast region, the Centre has approved North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme. The remarkable feature of this scheme is that this is a 100 per cent centrally funded scheme as against the NLCPR, where 10 per cent contribution had to come from the State Governments. The Government of India will be providing Rs 5300 crore to NE States under the Scheme over the next three years.
o Tuirial Hydro-power project is the first major Central Sector Project to be successfully commissioned in Mizoram. It will produce 251 Million Units of electrical energy every year and boost the socio-economic development of the State.
o With an objective to bring all the State Capitals of NE on the Rail Map, the union government will be investing another Rs 60,000 crore under Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in the North-East and Rs. 30,000 crore under Bharatmala in the next two to three years to build a network of high-ways and roads in the region.
o Proactively following the ‘Act East Policy', some of the major initiatives include the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project, the Rih-Tedim Road Project and Border Haats.
o The government is heavily investing in the development of eco-tourism in the region.
o Bamboo being an important resource of the region, the National Bamboo Mission has been launched in a restructured format to achieve following targets
? The scheme will benefit directly and indirectly the farmers as well as local artisans and associated personnels engaged in bamboo sector including associated industries.
? The Mission is expected to establish about 4000 treatment/ product development units and bring more than 100000 ha area under plantation.
? Bamboo plantation will contribute to optimizing farm productivity and income (doubling farmers’ income by 2022) thereby enhancing livelihood opportunities of small & marginal farmers including landless and women.
? It will provide quality material to industry.
? The mission will also be contributing towards climate resilience and environmental benefits.
? The Mission will also help in creating employment generation directly or indirectly in both skilled and unskilled segments.
o Under the UDAN scheme, the government is investing heavily to improve the aviation infrastructure and provide services to Northeast by reviving or constructing around 50 airports including the strategic ones like Pakyong in Sikkim, Tezu in Arunachal.
The latest event of Global Investors’ Summit in Guwahati held on February 3, 2018, displays the sincere approach of the Government towards bringing overall prosperity in the Northeast region by showcasing the investment potential of the region.
Way Ahead
Manjula Wadhwa, Asst. General Manager NABARD proposes a six-fold strategy for the comprehensive development of the Northeast Region –
North-East Region (NER) is one of the backward regions of India characterized by low per-capita income, lack of private investment, low capital formation, inadequate infrastructure facilities, geographical isolation, and inadequate exploitation of natural resources like minerals, hydro power potential, and forests. Its own tax collection and internal resources are quite meagre rendering the region dependent on central devolution. Though government of India has to pay more attention to the north-east, one cannot escape from the harsh reality that the states too have to gear up their administration. Inclusive development must aim at economic growth with elimination of poverty, improvement in social indicators, and reduction in inequality as equally important goals, while ensuring at the same time that there is no damage to the environment. However, translating these macro- policies into action in the northeast would need good governance and accountable administration, without which even the best policies and laws remain on paper only, or result in leakages. Unfortunately governance in the NER at the state and district levels is quite weak, manifesting itself in non- utilization of funds, lack of supervision, and poor outcomes. These are the key factors impinging on development and social indicators that need to be reckoned with.
Underutilization of Funds: Under NLCPR, all non-exempt Union Ministries are required to mandatorily earmark 10% of their Gross Budgetary Allocation (GBA) annually for the North Eastern Region. But there are certain governance related problems leading to underutilization of funds under NLCPR –
Poor Monitoring & Evaluation Systems - The data collected are not normally subjected to any regular checks. There is a failure of the departments in verification of their correctness and almost total absence of accountability procedures. For instance, according to the state governments the percentage of severely malnourished children in the north- eastern states is much less than I per cent, whereas independent verification by UNICEF in 2014 has reported a much higher figure varying from 3.5 per cent in Manipur to almost 16 per cent in Meghalaya and Tripura.
Absence of e-governance - A World Bank report on Assam observed in 2014 that there was absence of a comprehensive ICT Plan, and there was no common framework for service delivery, including a strong and supporting ICT infrastructure. Similarly, the reviews on National Health Mission in Nagaland found that the state is yet to roll out any telemedicine or m-health initiatives.
So far, most of the states are yet to generate RCH (Reproductive and Child Health) registers and create a system of computerized record keeping and tracking of beneficiaries by ANMs. Due to lack of computerization, there is backlog in payments of ASHAs.
Redundant Bureaucracy - The bureaucratic mix is highly skewed in favour of high number of group C and D staff and shortages continue in key sectors for frontline staff like doctors, teachers, judges, policemen etc. This not only distorts the functioning of government but also leads to high degree of Non-Plan expenditure.
Bandhs - The other problem peculiar to the NER is the culture of 'bandhs' (state closure) widely prevalent in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland that goes against the notion of individual rights (issued by armed groups who invariably represent only themselves). It is a stigma on the effectiveness of local governance structures, and is unconstitutional to say the least. 'Bandhs' in Assam have a rippling effect all over the Northeast as most basic commodities like rice, pulses, medicines, vegetables, poultry, etc., reach the other states via Assam either by road or by rail.
What needs to be done?
The Union Government should therefore reiterate its commitment to uphold the Constitutional provisions enshrined in Article 371 (Special Provisions with respect to certain states including the North-East States), expand the scope of the Sixth Schedule (concerning the tribal areas of the region), and empower the autonomous council institutions. Enhanced administrative and financial empowerment of these councils is likely to lead to a deeper sense of involvement of the people of these units, with their own socio-economic progress and programmes at the national level and improved overall developmental outcomes. The division or splitting up of the present Northeast states to satisfy local ethnic groups at the sub-state level is no solution. A solution, which satisfies some ethnic groups but leads to anxiety and apprehension among others who might be in harmony with the existing state structure, has to be avoided. History testifies to the fact that the sudden creation of a full-fledged, economically unviable, state like Nagaland in 1963, when Manipur with an earlier functioning princely state system was not simultaneously accorded full statehood, is perhaps the prime cause for Meitei groups in Manipur to turn towards insurgency.
Improvement in e-Governance is required to accomplish reform by fostering transparency, eliminating distance and other divides, and empowering people to participate. Good governance calls for probity, transparency and accountability.
In the past few years, North East has found much prominence in the governance paradigm of the country. The rebranding of North East as ‘New Engine in New India' is a testimony to the prominence that North East India holds today. The trajectory of Skill Development in the region does not betray this newfound focus in the region.
Skill development initiatives in Northeast India have received an impetus with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) giving thrust to several sectors to promote employment and entrepreneurship. The NSDC, a public-private partnership programme aimed at promoting skill development, has set a target of ensuring skill training of 2.46 lakh persons in the region for 2017-18. The target and priority sectors is being decided on the basis of multiple economic indicators which include demographic factor of the working age population, skill-gap studies and the overall economic activities in the region.
The initiatives taken so far are –
o Developing expertise in Pottery and Sital Patti Work in Cachar District of Assam which is traditionally known for expert craftsmanship in these works o Sonitpur can be developed in a prominent rice milling centre o Tripura can harness its immense potential of becoming a rubber giant. With the recent plans to connect North East by railways to the East Asian neighbours, such business models gain more trajectory. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop a strong skill development mechanism to train workers for the rubber industry. o Nagaland can focus on tourism centered on the Hornbill Festival, which has become a nationwide phenomenon today.
As Asian societies like Japan and Korea age faster, there will be a need for skilled workers in these countries. While India can fill this void, its NE region is best placed to fill the gap in these countries. In the light of the above, the status of skill development and subsequent placement of skilled youth in the North East only looks brighter in the future, if the momentum is maintained and newer policies are put in place to tackle new challenges.
Bamboo, rightly known as Green Gold, is a versatile group of plants that is capable of providing ecological, economic and livelihood security to the people. Until recently, it has remained confined to the forests (12.8% of forest cover); two third of the growing stock located in the North-Eastern States.
Bamboo is essentially a type of grass, but its classification as a tree for 90 years prevented the northeast, which grows 67% of India’s bamboo, from exploiting it commercially unlike China, the only country with richer bamboo genetic resources. Though, India is the world’s second largest grower of bamboo with 136 species, 23 genera spreading over 13.96 million hectares, the country’s share in the global bamboo trade and commerce is only 4 percent in spite of having 45 percent of global bamboo growth.
With a view to harness the potential of bamboo crop, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme called Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) in which National Bamboo Mission (NBM) is being implemented as a sub scheme. The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) as restructured NBM until 2019-20 at an expenditure of 1,290 crore. Since it proposes to bring about one-lakh hectares under plantation, about one-lakh farmers are expected to directly benefit in terms of plantation.
Objectives of the restructured NBM
Bamboo takes four years to mature after it is planted before it can provide a steady stream of revenue for farmers. It is during this period that the government needs to hand-hold farmers so that they do not cut down the grass from the second year onwards before it reaches its full potential from the fourth year.
The restructured NBM needs to be more focused on value-chain management (from producer to consumer) and value-addition of bamboo at community level that will bring more income to the bamboo farmers and bamboo processors.
Other benefits of Bamboo
By: Deepak Hooda ProfileResourcesReport error
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