'Guwahati Initiative' begins: 'Unemployment breeding insurgency'

GUWAHATI, February 22: Former Lok Sabha Speaker, PA Sangma today said the Central Government and the people from the industry should realise that development was the pre-condition for restoration of peace in insurgency-ravaged Northeast region. Speaking as a special guest at the inauguration on two-day 'Guwahati Initiative' - an international conference on business opportunities in the Northeastern region organised jointly by the FINER and the FICCI with support from the NEC and the State Government - here this afternoon, Sangma said large-scale unemployment in this under developed region had bred insurgency which should not be an excuse for not taking initiative to expedite development process. The former Lok Sabha Speaker dismissed as wrong the perception that development was not taking place in the region because of lack of infrastructure and prevailing law-and-order problem. He said infrastructure would come up once development process gained momentum. Regarding law and order problem, Sangma said the situation in the region was not worse than any other part of the country. Echoing the views expressed by Sangma the State Governor, Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha who inaugurated the two-day business conference, said "we cannot wait for militancy to be over to start the process of development." He pointed out that problem of insurgency was non-existent in any of the developed countries because of the simple reason that unemployment problem was not as rampant in those countries. The Governor favoured opening up of border trade between NE and neighbouring countries as he believed that it would open up great possibilities in the region. "Resources in the region are in plenty. What is required is political will, public determination and inflow of investment to achieve the desired goal," Lt Gen Sinha said. The Governor pointed that in the age of scientific explosion, NE region should no longer be considered as geographically remote. He ruled that despite having about 4,500 km international border, nothing concrete had been done after independence to encourage border trade through the region. He recollected that in the wake of partition NE lost Chittagong port, Brahmaputra ceased to be a water way for trade and commerce. Earlier, Sangma criticised the State Governments of the region for failing to set up think tanks manned by experts and experienced people to draw strategy for development. He also called upon the Centre to identify priority sectors - like tourism, sports etc. - for rapid economic development of the region. Addressing the function, Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta highlighted rich but untapped bio-diversity and mineral resources of Assam and its sister States in the region. He said Assam and other Northeastern States were by virtue of their geographical location could well become a gateway to set up intensive trade relation with East and South-East Asian countries. He informed that the Inter Ministerial Task Force set up by the Government of India has designated Northeast as the export corridor and suggested setting up of a network of highways and railway lines to maintain constant communication link with the region through the 'chicken neck'. Addressing the function, the president of the FICCI, Chirayu R Amin said 'Guwahati Initiative' was not merely aimed at facilitating investment but creating a competitive investment climate. He further said, "no doubt, the Northeastern region has lot more of ground level realities that will need to be addressed in terms of land use policies, labour mobility, lack of market integration and law-and-order problems. Indeed these are not issues that can be addressed overnight. But there is a way out. It is possible to create special enclaves which can be made free of these constraints and hardship. These enclaves can become very attractive investment destinations for both foreign and Indian investors." Earlier, the president of the FINER, SK Jain welcomed the dignitaries attending the two-day conference which is being participated by 30 foreign delegates besides about 200 delegates from within the country.