NCP stresses more on NE economic development

NEW DELHI, August 23: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has advocated a soft line for resolving the insurgency problem of the Northeast, calling for implementation of the various accords signed with the insurgent outfits and other groups by the government of India. The NCP manifesto released today at Mumbai has devoted a separate section for the Northeast stressing more on economic aspects than the political dimension. The manifesto says insurgency cannot be solved by mere force and police or military action. The basic issue of development has to be addressed, geographical isolation, lack of development and poverty have to be clearly tackled. The region cannot merely be treated as a source for natural resources or a mere destination for primary goods and manufactured products from elsewhere. The people of the region should themselves be involved in the process of production instead of being excluded therefrom. Concurrently, free political dialogue has to be carried out with the insurgent groups. The various accords signed have to be implemented in conformity with letter and spirit. On infiltration, the NCP has suggested developing stakes in the economic development of the areas from where the influx of foreigners is originating. Political, economic and commercial diplomacy with neighbouring countries would be sought to be enhanced so that quantum jumps in border trade and based on that, export production on either side of the international border take place, enhancing means of livelihood in the medium and long terms, for the people who might otherwise be potential migrants. The NCP has advocated that the Northeast, would be treated as a special development zone, differential norms of development evolved and applied and the pattern of development restructured. The NCP has promised largescale investments in flood control works on the Brahmaputra, Barak, Meghna and the allied rivers system. This would help create multi-purpose storage reservoirs at appropriate river reaches, facilitating hydro-electric power productions. The NCP has also touched on the development of infrastructure including roads, railways, airlines, telecommunication and energy. It has also promised to expedite the implementation of the multi-crore gas cracker project. In the liberalising economic environment, intensive efforts would be made to exploit these potentials by attracting technology and investments from international financial institutions, domestic and external financial market and private investors. Efforts would be made to get special region-specific export- import policy established. A comprehensive natural resources and export potential survey would also be undertaken in respect of every state in the region, identifying specific export products.