The Narendra Modi government&’s list of projects to help develop the North-east is lengthening, what with Union minister of state for development of the North-east region Jitendra Singh announcing two weeks ago a “Make in North-east” initiative in line with the Prime Minister&’s “Make in India” concept. The idea, according to him, is to exclusively promote North-east expertise in spheres like tea and food processing, organic farming, tapping power through windmills and, importantly, creating job opportunities. He also stressed the need to promote tourism, which is noteworthy because this sector alone can ensure jobs for thousands, besides giving an impetus to local handloom and cottage industries.

The region&’s tourism potential cannot be underestimated, more so now that India&’s Look East Policy — renamed “Act East Policy” — is becoming a reality. In 2007, when Thailand&’s commerce minister visited the North-east, he said his country handled millions of tourists every year and some of them could be encouraged to travel to the North-east as well. He also stressed the need to improve road connectivity. Thanks to Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, today the state&’s wartime Tulihal aerodrome is an international airport. By March, his government hopes to introduce regular bus services between Imphal and Mandalay, but a lot needs to be done to improve connectivity in this sector.

The Doner ministry is to set up camp offices in each of the eight North-east states “to enable locals to solve their problems/or hear redressals of their grievances”. This is welcome because most North-east states have questioned why the Doner should function from Delhi and not from one of the region&’s capitals, like the North Eastern Council that has its headquarters in Shillong.

Yet another significant decision is to send one Central minister every fortnight to one of the North-east states for three to four days. They are free to choose any state and a number of them have already submitted travel plans.
Last week the Centre launched a new company and, according to a report, its objective is to “fast track road construction in the North-east and border areas”. It said that “as the first e-PSU using IT solution, it will develop and widen 3,600 km of roads with an investment of Rs 34,300 crore. Union minister for transport and highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated a logo and vision of the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation, which will undertake the job. About 10,000 km of roads have been identified for development by the NHIDC”.
On 30 January, Union minister of state for roads, transport and highways P Radhakrishnan told reporters in Shillong that the Centre was targeting the construction of 1,400 km of roads in the region&’s landlocked states in 2004-15 at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore, adding that plans were afoot to construct 2,000 km more at a cost of Rs  1,800 crore this year and 2,300 km (Rs 21,000 crore) in the subsequent fiscal year.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju has said that by 2019 a road would pass along every house and the government was planning to build roads along the McMohan Line. Well, so much for big talk because even today Arunachal Pradesh has not been able to complete the vital 245-km Vijayanagar-Miao Road (Miao being the nearest administration centre and one of the most undeveloped areas). 

The Centre has set fresh deadlines for the completion of the broad gauge conversion of the Lumding-Silchar hill section and making the Silchar-Imphal Road, Manipur&’s second lifeline, an all-weather one by the end of April. The urgency is clear from the fact that local BJP unit functionaries are regularly visiting work sites to oversee the progress.

The Modi government has several designs on the North-east, one among them being a comprehensive plan to make the region one of the economic hubs of the country, and there will be more Doordarshan channels (perhaps to air Modi&’s monthly “Man ka Baat”).

All of this throws up interesting possibilities of a happier North-east, but the big question is whether all these seemingly grand designs will meet the people&’s expectations? And for how long will they have to wait?

jbl@thestatesman.net