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01/07/2006: "Naga council wants Centre to respond positively to its formula"


Naga council wants Centre to respond positively to its formula The Hindu Sushanta Talukdar Next round of talks crucial as ceasefire will expire on January 31
• The formula is to resolve Indo-Naga conflict
• Next round of talks in mid-January is crucial
• Outcome to decide on the pattern of relationship
• The July 1997 ceasefire is due to expire on January 31
GUWAHATI: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) on Thursday said it would expect the Union Government to come out with a positive response to the formula already put forward by the rebel group for resolving the "Indo-Naga conflict." Both sides are scheduled to meet for the next round of talks in the middle of January. Deputy "Kilonser" (minister) in the "Kilo" (Home) Ministry of the NSCN (IM)-run parallel government, V. Horam told The Hindu over cell phone from the outfit's Hebron Camp in Nagaland that the next round of talks would be crucial as the ceasefire would expire on January 31. The formula put forward before New Delhi by the Naga rebel group is that "India and Nagalim are going to be two nations but inseparable. But the pattern of relationship would be determined by the outcome of the talks and agreement to be made."
Mr. Horam said the NSCN (IM) had also proposed a nomenclature, "Federation of India and Nagalim" for the proposed nation that would comprise "Naga traditional territories."
He said the NSCN (IM) would explore all possibilities for sustaining the dialogue but everything would depend on New Delhi's response to the formula. The NSCN (IM) had signed a ceasefire agreement with the Centre in July 1997.
"It has been more than eight years and the peace negotiation has reached a stalemate as the Indian Government has not responded to our formula of resolving the Indo-Naga conflict."
The Amsterdam-based Naga International Support Centre (NSIC) on Wednesday called on the NSCN-run parallel government "in the wake of the mounting pressure to remain subdued, to do all in its power to restrain itself and to keep the ceasefire going so talks for peace will remain possible, and bloodshed will be averted."
The peace talks ran into rough weather after the Centre's emissaries Oscar Fernandes and K. Padmanabhaiah failed to convince the NSCN (IM) leaders in the last round of talks held in Bangkok in December last year for an extension of the ceasefire.
The Amsterdam-based human rights organisation also called on the United Nations to "intervene in this long-standing conflict on the basis of the right to self determination." The NSIC claimed, in a telegram to the United Nations, that the Nagas declared independence one day ahead of India. "Though the United Nations acknowledged the reception of that declaration it did not act on it," it added.
“The relevance of regionalism would be tested in this election and if the ruling Congress comes to power again, this could well be the end of the road for the AGP,” an analyst said.
Nagalim: Northeast Hopes for Peace Despite Violence Unpo
Doha Times Asian News Service Peace and hope were the catchwords as people in the otherwise scenic but restive northeastern region of India welcomed the New Year with a sense of great optimism. The states of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura - popularly referred to as the seven sisters - are besieged by a myriad of problems, mainly ethnic conflicts and armed insurgencies. Barring Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and to some extent Meghalaya, the other four states have for long been battling some 30 odd rebel groups operating in the region with demands ranging from secession to autonomy.
But there is a ray of hope this New Year with New Delhi trying to broker peace with some of the frontline militant groups.
There is every possibility of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) coming for peace talks with the Indian government soon.
The ULFA is one of the most organised militant groups in the northeast and once this outfit talks the language of peace, there is a chance of many smaller rebel groups coming forward to join the peace process.
Another silver lining could be a possible breakthrough with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) - talks are underway between the rebel group’s leadership and government peace negotiators.
“We hope to see a permanent solution to the Naga problem this year,” a senior NSCN-IM leader said.
Considering the fact that insurgency is the biggest roadblock to development in the northeast, there are many positives one may expect in the New Year.
At least eight prominent separatist groups in Manipur are holding informal negotiations with the central government and one may expect a formal announcement by these groups about cessation of violence sometime this year.
“Once the government brings some of the top militant groups to the negotiating table, the region would automatically see all round development and peace,” said Aniruddha Das, a retired college teacher.
Politically the region may also witness some dramatic developments this New Year with assembly elections in Assam scheduled sometime in April. For the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) this would be a severe test with its founder and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta severing ties with the parent party.
Jamir mulls Goa-Nagaland media exchange programme New Kerala
Kohima: Goa Governor S C Jamir has suggested a media exchange programme between his state and Nagaland so that the media personnel of the extreme West could learn the working conditions of their counterparts in the extreme East.

According to a Goa Raj Bhawan release here today, Mr Jamir put up the proposal during an interaction with the editors of the local newspapers of Goa at the conference hall of Raj Bhawan there yesterday.

Observing that Goa was fortunate not to have a major law and order problem, he elaborated on the effects of a conflict situation in other parts of the country on the working of the press.

Commenting on the present socio-economic scene in Goa, the Governor outlined measures for ensuring the continued economic prosperity and social harmony of the state.

Mr Jamir, the former Nagaland Chief Minister, called upon the editors of Goa to formulate alternatives to maintain the present economic boom in the state which, he pointed out, was largely due to tourism and mining.
Going Dutch It's a significant first for India. A Dutch NGO boss may play the 'third party' in the Naga talks. WASBIR HUSSAIN Outlook India
Praag is a good friend of both our group and the Indian government," says R.H. But a top NSCN(I-M) leader, when contacted by Outlook, was more guarded.

"Michael Praag has been associated with the talks since 2001, but no decision has been taken to make him an official mediator. But he is a wellwisher Raising.Michael C. van Walt van Praag. Quite a long name for an executive president of an NGO known simply as Kreddha, an Indo-European word which means 'to place trust'. Both the man and the Netherlands-based organisation is currently in the news, the context being a possible agreement between the Indian state and Northeast separatist groups. Where New Delhi is concerned, it could be an unprecedented step—relaxing its stated position against third-party, international mediation in sensitive internal issues.

It all started when Kraibo Chawang, 'deputy information minister' of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah group), NSCN(I-M), recently told journalists that his group and the Indian government had agreed on "third-party mediation" during the last round of talks in Bangkok in December, and that Praag was going to be the "pointsman". of the Nagas and a good friend of both our group and the government of India," R.H. Raising, 'home minister' of the NSCN(I-M) said. The slight contradiction in the statements of Raising and his junior, Chawang, isn't surprising. The latter, say sources, had disclosed what was meant to be a secret rather prematurely.

New Delhi, true to form, has denied Praag having any role, but it took a full four days to react from the time the first reports appeared in the media. Union minister Oscar Fernandes, who is heading the talks with the NSCN(I-M), was categoric that "the question of appointing a mediator does not arise" as the two sides were engaged in negotiations anyway. What Fernandes hasn't clarified is the claim by Chawang (as also by Raising) that Praag has been mediating unofficially since '01. Chawang even went so far as to tell the press that "Praag's contribution towards salvaging the peace process has been acknowledged by both sides".

What many seem to have missed out is the open admission by Kreddha about its role as a 'facilitator'. "Kreddha is quietly and confidentially facilitating negotiations between the leaders of a major armed independence movement in a country in Asia and the government of that country," the organisation says on its website (kreddha.org). "It has facilitated the first and all subsequent meetings between the prime minister of the country in question and his representatives and the leaders of the self-determination movement," the group says.

Now who is Praag, and what is Kreddha? While Praag has been identified as an international lawyer, Kreddha claims to be an organisation committed to "prevention and resolution of violent conflicts between population groups and states".

Praag and his wife visited Nagaland in April 2003 and was presented with a memorandum dated April 19, 2003, and signed by 11 members of the Senior Citizens' Forum of Mokokchung, a district town. As foreigners are required to obtain a special travel document (the Restricted Area Permit) to visit Nagaland, it's likely that New Delhi had cleared Praag's visit to the state.

It's been eight years since the NSCN(I-M) and New Delhi entered into talks after a ceasefire came into effect on August 1, '97. But a deadlock ensued over the NSCN(I-M)'s insistence on the integration of the Naga areas in the Northeast into a Greater Nagalim. This demand has been vehemently opposed by Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, and it is in this backdrop that reports of New Delhi seeking help from a possible 'facilitator' to break the stalemate have gained credence.
UG blame game over peace settlement Charges and denial continues over ‘secret proposal’ The Morung Express News Dimapur | January 6
REMINISCENT OF the Post-Shillong Accord period of blame game within the NNC leadership, the ceasefire and subsequent peace process with New Delhi under the stewardship of the NSCN (IM) now entering a crucial phase is turning out to be a game of political one up-man-ship back home with the rival groups putting on a new found aggression to stalk every move of the NSCN (IM) with endless scrutiny of the numerous proposals being worked out at the talks table towards negotiating a settlement.
Putting to rest, the continuous allegations coming from both the NSCN (K) and the FGN that it had submitted a secret proposal to the Government of India for settling the Naga issue within the Indian Union, the NSCN (IM) has once again denied the allegations and instead in its strongest term condemned the booklet ‘Naga Inhabited Area’ while terming it as crafty scheme of a section of the Indian intelligence who were inimical to the Indo-Naga peace talks.
“In the wake of such cheap propaganda aimed to distort the present Indo-Naga peace talks and to confuse the innocent people, the NSCN is compelled to clarify to all concerned that there is no such thing as Secret Proposal/Memorandum between the NSCN and the Government of India”, stated a press communiqué issued by Qhevihe Chishi Swu, Convenor, Steering Committee of the NSCN (IM).
Pointing out that the ongoing peace talks was an ‘open book clearly revealed to the people through the five consultative meetings and the wide publicity after every round of talk’, the communiqué stated that the transparency on the part of the NSCN was crystal clear and warned such elements distorting facts while cautioning people not to become an easy prey.
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the statement made by Kilo Kilonser Rh. Raising in The Morung Express that an ‘interim solution is heading our way’, the FGN has reacted immediately by pointing out that despite denial time and again by the NSCN (IM) over submission of the secret proposal, Raising’s statement had now ‘finally exposed’ the NSCN (IM) on this count.
“An interim solution was defined in the outlook of NIA in clause 19 that further dialogue towards the key issues shall continue, and this agreement shall be treated as a precursor to the outcome of such decision whatsoever the government of India and the Collective Leadership shall arrive at”, the FGN cited as evidence that such a proposal did exist.
The statement issued by Gaibon Panmei, Deputy Rali Wali Kilonser of the FGN, further pointed out as per clause 17 of the proposal, plan for interim solution was for a period of 14 years. “During this period the unification of Naga inhabited areas is to be dealt technically and politically, till the time the conditions are fully favorable for the formation of a separate geopolitical area with redefined boundaries” the FGN further alleged quoting another clause of the proposal.
Reaffirming that the aspect of sovereignty would never be compromised at any cost, the FGN warned that any solution within the Indian Union will never be a solution to the Indo-Naga conflict and solution from ‘traitors’ would be considered treason.
Commission can decide minority status Special Correspondent The Hindu
Union Cabinet takes the ordinance route to facilitate implementation of quota Bill
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Friday decided to promulgate an ordinance to give the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) the power to decide all questions of minority status and cancel such recognition if the situation so warrants.
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the ordinance would facilitate the implementation of the Constitution (93rd Amendment) Bill, 2005 to reserve seats for socially and educationally backward classes, besides the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in private unaided institutions other than those run by minorities.
Though a Bill to give the Commission the power to define a "minority institution" was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session last year, delay in its passage made the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry consider the ordinance route to identify minority institutions which could be exempted from the purview of the Constitution (93rd Amendment) Bill.
Protesting the exclusion of minority institutions from the ambit of the Constitution Amendment, many parties sought a clear definition of the term `minority' as it applies to both religious and linguistic minorities.
Responding to a discussion in Parliament, HRD Minister Arjun Singh said remedial measures would be taken if necessary. The ordinance is billed as a step in this direction.
The NCMEI (Amendment) Bill also seeks to plug loopholes, which hindered the functioning of the Commission since inception in 2004. It proposes to relax the provision, which restricted minority institutions to seek affiliation to any of the six listed scheduled universities: Delhi University, North-Eastern Hill University, Pondicherry University, Assam University, Nagaland University and Mizoram University. The Bill allows them to seek affiliation to any university of their choice subject to its rules. By another provision, if a no-objection certificate (NOC) is not granted within 90 days, the applicant can go ahead and start an institution.
The amendment also seeks to give appellate jurisdiction to the Commission in matters of refusal of the NOC for establishing a minority institution.
According to the statement of objects and reasons, all proceedings before the Commission shall be deemed judicial and its orders are executable as decrees of a civil court.
Warring NSCN factions clash again Imphal Newmai News Network January 6
Another clash between the NSCN factions at Makhom village under Tamenglong district took place today. Reports said that heavy exchange of gun-fire was carried out between NSCN-K and NSCN-IM cadres this afternoon.
No casualty was reported however, reports suspected that there could be casualties as the fighting was heavy.
Since mid-December last, clashes between the two NSCN factions have been going on at Makhom village and the adjoining areas.
Villagers continue to flee from Makhom village and the adjoining areas ever since the clashes broke out on December 23, according to Zeliangrong student leaders. Reports said that the infighting between NSCN-K and the NSCN-IM may continue for sometime as long as the two rival factions are present in the area. The two factions are competing for supremacy in the area as both the parties are trying to do away each other to stake claim over the area, said the reports.
Today’s clash was the fourth in the row after the December 23 clash which repeated on December 28 and on January 4 being the last.
NE insurgency situation improving: Lt Gen Shah The Morung Express
Agartala, Jan 6 (UNI): The insurgency situation in North-Eastern states except Manipur is gradually improving and talks with NSCN-IM and ULFA are progressing positively, Lieutenant General Zamil Uddin Shah, GOC three corps, said here today.
Talking to newsmen after an arms-laying ceremony by NLFT ultras, the GOC said the government is hopeful that the talks with the NSCN-IM and the ULFA would be successful and peace would be restored in the region.
The militant activities are gradually waning in the border region, he added.
“We invite all groups, including the Meithei groups in Manipur, to talk to the government and suspend their operations,” the General said, adding Manipur was the most troubled area in the region. He informed that the Centre had already approached Bangladesh and Myanmar to stop all anti-India activities in their territories and bust the militants’ camps. He, however, expressed concern over the rising fundamentalist activities in Bangladesh. 13 National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) ultras, led by self-styled ‘commander-in-chief’ Rajesh Debbarma, laid down arms before the General this morning.
They deposited three Self Loading Rifles (SLR), one 303 Rifle, five revolvers and as many Chinese grenades and a large quantity of ammunition. Rajesh Debbarma, a mechanical engineer, had joined the NLFT in 2000 and had been a part of the top hierarchy of the outfit.
With today’s surrender, the number of ultras who have laid down arms this week has gone up to 46.
New Naga film reflects strength of Naga women Kuknalim.com
DIMAPUR, Jan 06: The courage, grit and strength associated with Naga women and typified through a woman from Rusoma has been made into a film by a young filmmaker as a first attempt to turn folklore into cinema.

Once upon a time there was a woman called Sopfunuo in a village called Rusoma near Nagaland’s capital, Kohima. Both Sopfunuo and her daughter, the legend goes, were turned into stone while fleeing her husband’s home after a tumultuous marriage.

Conceived and directed by Metevinuo Ate Sakhrie, the 112-minute docu-drama is titled Were I the Moon — The Legend of Sopfunuo. The moon serves as a metaphorical inspiration and guide through various stages of Sopfunuo’s life told through dramatisation, images, original songs and interviews.

“The art of storytelling is still the most favourite pastime among Nagas in the interiors of the state,” said Sakhrie, an alumnus of Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi.

“My film attempts to capture and document the rich and diverse Naga oral tradition of storytelling through this particular popular Tenyimia Naga folktale.”

Shot in the beautiful rural settings of Rusoma and Viswema villages in Nagaland, the film also explores the rich cultural heritage of the Angami community of Nagaland.

Finished recently, the director has started screening the film in the villages of Nagaland to what she described as “wondrous applause”.

“The film premiered simultaneously at Rusoma and Viswema villages last week. I have decided to screen my film in villages, as folklore and folktales are still considered the lifeline of villagers,” said the 34-year-old filmmaker.

The film has also succeeded in garnering appreciation from several quarters

An accomplished documentary director, Sakhrie’s film Binding Threads has been selected for screening at Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), 2006 slated to be held in February. Sakhrie has directed six documentary films till date and most of them have been shown at national film festivals. (Telegraph)

We are ready for ceasefire with ULFA: Assam chief minister By Indo Asian News Service
Guwahati, Jan 7 (IANS) The Assam government said Saturday it was ready for a ceasefire with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to end nearly three decades of insurgency, even as it began a two-week cessation of operations against the outlawed group.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said his government was willing to sign a ceasefire treaty with the ULFA if the outfit reciprocates the offer.
'I am extending a hand of friendship to the ULFA and would also expect them to do the same. We are willing to sign a ceasefire agreement with the ULFA and try and settle the problem through peace talks,' Gogoi told reporters in Assam's main city of Guwahati.
'There cannot be a truce from one side and so we want the ULFA to respond to our offer.'
The state government started a two-week cessation of operations against the ULFA Saturday offering free movement of rebels to visit their homes.
'On New Year's Day I offered the ULFA safe passage to visit their families in their respective villages in view of the Magh Bihu (Assamese harvest festival) next week,' Gogoi said.
'During the safe passage period that expires on Jan 20 no ULFA boys or girls would be arrested or harassed by security forces. This is a goodwill gesture from our side and if the response is positive we might even extend the deadline.'
The chief minister said any ULFA cadre willing to accept the offer can contact or inform the nearest police station about their visit and may return back to their hideouts when the safe passage deadline expires.
'The only condition is that they cannot come with arms or ammunition,' Gogoi said.
The ULFA is yet to respond to the offer.
The ULFA, a frontline rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979, had nominated an 11-member team of civil society leaders in October to begin preliminary talks with New Delhi.
The ULFA-designated 11-member People's Consultative Group (PCG) held the first round of talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Oct 26 in New Delhi to prepare the ground for a bilateral ceasefire and then direct talks between the rebel leadership and government peace negotiators at a later stage. The prime minister later said he was ready to discuss 'all issues relating to the ULFA'.
The safe-passage offer comes at a time when the ULFA has ruled out holding direct peace talks with New Delhi unless the government releases some of its senior jailed leaders. At least six top ULFA leaders, including vice president Pradip Gogoi, are lodged in different jails in Assam.

NESO stages stir in front of BSNL offices By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Jan 6 – Members of the constituent organisations of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) today staged demonstrations in front of the offices of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) all over the NE region in support of the demands for cent per cent filling up of the C and D category vacancies with the local jobseekers. They also demanded improvement in the quality of BSNL mobile phone service. According to a NESO press release here, hundreds of members of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) today mounted pressure on BSNL’s Assam Circle Chief General Manager (CGM) B P Sinha. The CGM assured the students that steps would be taken to absorb cent per cent local jobseekers against the vacancies in the BSNL against the C and D category posts.

Telephone services in the State would also be improved within the next ten days and steps would also be taken to improve the mobile phone services in consultation with the other mobile phone service providing agencies like the Reliance, Airtel and Aircel, said the press release.

Industrialisation of the North East — Dwaipayan Asam Tribune commentary
Development infrastructure, such as improved road or air-connectivity, power supply etc, are essential to a sustainable development of a region or a State. Promoting these essentials indirectly contributing towards the growth of an economy in an area is the responsibility of all those who are at the helm of affairs in a State, not of the Centre. If a State government is in a financial crisis and not in a position to release adequate funds towards road construction or implementation of any pending power projects to augment power generation, all it needs to do is to approach the Centre and press it for an immediate release of funds either as a grant or loan in order to carry out the works. But extra care is to be taken by the concerned State government that under no circumstances it has to be abondoned mid-way due to paucity of funds.

One important aspect that is to be kept in mind is that developed basic infrastructure is the key to economic development of a State. If they are in a poor shape, whatever industrial policy is announced by the Centre for a region of a State can scarcely be expected to yield any desired results. The message that is loud and clear is that in ensuring a steady inflow of capital investment in an area raising the basic infrastructure to the level of respectability is an urgent necessity.

Consider the northeastern part of our country in this regard. There is no element of doubt that the whole region is a rich reservoir or storehouse of natural resources, both mineral and water. Take up, for instance, the case of Assam. As a part of it, the State is rich in mineral resources such as crude oil, natural gas and some other petroleum products. So is it even in water rescoures too. With all these resources having been available in abundance in it, the pace of industrialisation in the State ought to have been faster than now, in view of the lucrative and attractive economic package offered to the entrepreneurs in the country by way of tax holidays, incentives reduced custom duty etc, to open up industries in Assam or elsewhere in the region, as extended in the North East Industrial Policy (NEIP) announced by the Central government in 1997.

But inspite of the attractive package, and all the development-spurring resources readily available in the region, neither investment in the North East has increased to the point over the years where growth is in evidence, nor has the number of potential investors in the country opening up industries in the region gone up either during the corresponding period. But why? There are a number of contributing factors behind the sluggish industrial growth. Among them all, one is the extension of the much-publicised same package by the Centre to several other States such as Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

This has naturally had its adverse impact on the industrial growth in the northeastern region. Compared to the initial years of the announcement of the NEIP when a good number of potential investors in the country responded spontaneously when they came and made capital investments not just in Assam or Meghalaya but elsewhere in the region, it is at present far from satisfying. With the very spirit of the NE Industrial policy having been diluted with the extension of all its fiscal incentives and subsidies for speeding up the pace of industrialisation in other States beyond the region, the entrepreneurs and industrialists have in the past seven years or so invested much more in these States than in the North East. For example, while Himachal Pradesh drew a huge amount of Rs 7,019 crore by way of investment in one year, it was just Rs1,268 crore attracted by the entire North East in long seven years.

This particular event of capital investment alone does make a startling revelation as to how badly industrial development of the North East is affected over the years in view of the watering down of the NEIP due to the extension of its sops to such States as Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir etc. With all these States having had their locational advantages and the close affinity with Delhi, which is relatively trouble-free, the investors will certainly prefer to invest in these States instead of coming over to the remote North East, as they have done. Reports have been out that sometime ago a number of potential investors had decided to shift to these States rather than coming to Assam. Unless this trend is reversed, for a backward State the Assam or, the North East, it will take quite a long time for it to bring about a turnaround in its prevailing industrial climate with the diluted version of the Industrial Policy. Indeed it can be done provided a fresh policy exclusively for the region is announced by the Centre at an early date with relatively more attractive incentives to the investors.

Another fundamental reason for the investment inflow towards the industrialisation of the North East not picking up to a satisfactory level is the region’s sorry state of roads especially those in rural areas. Upkeep of the roads in all season is all the more important to ensure a steady and free inflow of capital investment. In Assam, for instance, the total road length was reportedly, 89,486 km, as on March 2002, of which only 14 per cent was constructed. But the percentage of surface category of roads built in the State is far too low in comparison to the all-India average of 57.8 per cent. True, during the tenure of Sri Tarun Gogoi as Chief Minister there has been a marked improvement in the State’s economy as clearly mirrored in its growth—rate which has registered a hike of 5.4 per cent during the first three years of the 10th Five Year Plan period as against 2.84 per cent in the Eighth Plan period. This therefore, is no mean achievement on the part of the State government which proves that a portion of its huge debt has been invested in the profit-yielding projects. The tax-collection drive has also fetched good dividends in terms of money. Inspite of it, the revenues it receives at the end of the day are too meagre to maintain a huge 41,328 m of the existing roads in the State, both urban and rural, because it will involve an expenditure of approximately Rs 300 crore.

Is it possible for the State government alone to carry out the gargantuan, highly expensive task with its ever-growing public loan liability at present touching a whopping amount of Rs 17,805 crore without funds from NEC or the Centre? Certainly not. But improvement of road network not only in Assam but the other States in the North East is all the more important for accelerating inflow of investments.

In the region’s gloomy industrial scenario, one redeeming feature, however, is that by virtue of the World bank-sponsored Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Project (ARIASP) the State government has been able to construct an estimated 719.70 km roads and 209 bridges. Yet another condition to a sustainable regional development is the availability of power at competitive rates for industrial houses. The entire North East is a rich reservoir of water resources, and, as such, has the potential of producing power to the tune of an incredible 63,257 MW. But what has so far been developed is a measly, 1,011 MW. What does it symbolise? It does give a broad hint that the power sector in the region still remains a neglected area. Unless it is generated as much as to cater to the industrial needs and made available at reasonably low prices for small-scale industries, there is seldom any likelihood of the potential investors making a bee-line to the North East.

What the governments of the North East need to do without further delay is infrastructural development to ensure free inflow of capital investment. It should be meticulously planned before the development is undertaken to skirt a misuse of funds, be it of the Central government or the State government or even of other agencies, for the purpose.
CPI(ML), ASDC(P) demand legal action against Engti
EC urged to visit KA before polls From our Correspondent Sentinel
DIPHU, Jan 6: Giving a new twist to the politics in Karbi Anglong district, the CPI (ML) and ASDC (P) have jointly demanded of the Election Commission of India to take legal action against sitting MP Biren Sing Engti and urged the EC to derecognize the Congress party for its alleged malpractice in the last Parliamentary election.
The demand was submitted recently in a memorandum to the Election Commission of India in New Delhi by a three-member delegation of the CPI(ML) and ASDC(P) comprising Dr Jayanta Rongpi and Prabhat Kumar, both CPI(ML) central committee members and Swadesh Bhattacharjee, CPI(ML) politburo member. This was informed by Daniel Teron, general secretary, ASDC(P) in a press release.
The delegation vehemently criticized the 11-point agreement allegedly signed between the Congress and the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) before the last Parliamentary election which allegedly scripted the Congress victory in the poll hustings.
The delegation requested the Election Commission to visit the district before the ensuing Assembly polls to make an assessment of the ground situation and demanded special extra security arrangement and special officer to ensure free and fair polls. The three-member delegation further appealed to the Election Commission to disarm and confine militants of the UPDS and DHD at their designated camps following the ceasefire ground-rules during the Assembly election and deployment of adequate security to the designated camps of the militants.



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