GUWAHATI, Nov 22 ? The North East Chamber of Commerce and Industry has condemned the Centre?s move to include North Bengal in NEC. It stated that the leadership of West Bengal during the last couple of years has been advocating extension of benefit of North Eastern Council (NEC) for the development of North Bengal particularly Siliguri. A move was initiated in September last year when the NER chief ministers? meeting organised by NEC was held at Gangtok.
It is said that the Confederation of India Industry (CII) persuaded West Bengal Government to take up the issue of extending NEC benefit to North Bengal with the then DoNER Minister Dr C P Thakur.
In February, 2003, Ashok Bhattacharjee, Urban Development Minister of West Bengal, filed the proposal which was reportedly rejected by the West Bengal Chief Minister ?as an absurd proposal.?
A strong protest was raised by the industry associations including NECCI and the Chief Minister of Assam against this move last year. It is now understood that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee has finally enclosed the move and has written to PMO appealing for the extension of NEC benefit for the development of North Bengal. Surprisingly Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee reportedly agreed to take up the matter with PMO.
The NECCI said: ?Such a move, if materialised, can be detrimental to the growth of development of business and industry in the hitherto undeveloped northeastern region of India. The NEC has been established with the sole objective of development of the north eastern region. During the last two decades the North Eastern Council has been initiating several developmental activities including infrastructure development. The present move will reduce the availability of fund with NEC for the development of the north eastern region.
The population of North Bengal is almost the same as that of the whole north eastern region, it stated and added that therefore the inclusion of North Bengal in the North Eastern Council will divert a substantial portion of NEC?s fund.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, the North East Chamber of Commerce & Industry has appealed to the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for DONER to take all necessary steps to desist the West Bengal Government from taking such ?unhealthy move?. NECCI also condemned the West Bengal Government for initiating such a detrimental step at the cost of the development of the northeastern region, stated a release.