MANTHAN TOPIC :

REALIZING THE GROWTH POTENTIAL OF NORTH-EAST

Team : Achievers

Lovely Professional University

Team leader: Rajkamal Roy

BASIC STRENGTHS OF NORTH EAST

•Large natural resources and potential for growth in the agro-forestry sector including expansive and extensive bamboo plantation, exotic flora.

•Large mineral deposits (particularly in Assam and Meghalaya). •A bio-diversity hot spot.

•Vast water resources including tremendous hydro power potential.

•Great promise for tourism development.

•Proximity to one of world’s fastest growing economies, S.E. Asia. •A literate population.

•Rich heritage of handicrafts.

•Unique community spirit and democratic traditional system of local self-government

* TRIVA: The forest cover in the region constitutes 52 % of its total geographical area.

NORTH – EAST IN SHORT

Total states: 8

Geographical area: 2,62,179 sq. km (7.9% of India)

Total population: 44.5 million

Total agricultural Land: 84,532 sq.km

Industrial growth rate: 3.94% annual

No. of state whose BPL is above 30%= 6

Average GSDP of North East States(Gross State Domestic Product) =11.225% (All India GSDP = 11.6)

No. of state below countries GSDB average = 4

STATE WISE ACTION PLAN

ARUNACHAL PRADESH:

Power generation(Mainly Hydro) The State has the potential to generate additional 57,000 MW.

Mineral Based Industry

Agriculture and Forest Based Industries

Tourism(Itanagar,Tawang,Miao and Roing)

Textile(Handloom Products)

Potential Thrust Areas Major state issues

Indo - China Border issue

Transport(Road coverage is only 64.7%) & no railway connections

Insurgency

Poverty(37.4% under BPL)

Unemployment

Suggested solution: 1) Construction of road should be under any

centralized authority

2) Promoting tourism sector as it will generate around 1 – 2 lakh

new jobs

3) Initiating railway projects

ASSAM :

Tea (The State accounts for 55% of the National Produce)

Energy

Limestone mines

Cement

Medicinal Plants

Agriculture70% of the workforce in Assam is engaged in Agriculture related activities

Horticulture

Border tension with Bangladesh

Terrorism

Transportation(The barak railway project is running from past 15 years but progress is only 37%)

Unemployment(about 52% youth is unemployed)

Potential Thrust Areas Major state issues

Suggested solutions: 1) Peace negotiations with terrorist groups

2) More border security

3) Promoting Self employment schemes

4) Inviting more pharmaceutical and cement manufacturing companies in

order to covert the raw products into finished products efficiently

MEGHALAYA :

Agriculture and Food Processing

Horticulture

Mining

Cement Industry

Tourism( Shillong ,Cherapunji and tura)

Hydroelectric Power

Dairy & Livestock

Handloom and Handicrafts

Steel Processing

Uranium reserve

Illegal coal extraction

Transportation (poor connectivity with rest of India)

BPL population= 33.87

Low literacy rate(only 57.5%)

Uranium extraction is restricted

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested solutions:1) Proper road connectivity so that resources can be

shared

2) Indian govt. should utilize the available uranium reserve rather than importing

it from foreign countries( save around 72-74% of production cost)

3) E-learning projects should be carried out in remote areas.

MANIPUR:

Khadi and Village (Khadi and Village Industry produces goods worth Euro 7.3 Million every year)

Handloom

Handicrafts

Sericulture

Food Processing

Bamboo Processing

Tourism ( Imphal , Moreh and Loktak)

Terrorism(82% of the govt. projects are effected)

Frequent strikes(Leads to price hike )

No railway connections ( Ziribam is only connected through railway)

Lack of infrastructure

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested solutions: 1) Initiation of railway projects 2)Central concern on state issues in order to stop strikes 3) Creating opportunities for new industries (Mainly food processing)

4)Promoting tourism (employment estimated : 0.2 million

NAGALAND :

Bamboo

Agriculture & Allied Industries

Horticulture

Sericulture

Minerals and Mining

Sericulture

Handloom and Handicrafts

Tourism(Dimapur and Kohima)

Insurgency

Poor road and railway connectivity(Dimapur is only railway connected station)

Inter state border tension

Unemployment

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested solutions: 1) Initialization of more railway projects

2) Self employment schemes should be employed

3) Tourism should be promotes( In Nagaland the famous Hornbill

festival attracts more than 10000 tourist , it is so estimated that

proper road connectivity will raise the gathering by (70-80)% 4)Central concern over border issues

MIZORAM:

Bamboo(Mizoram hosts 14% of the Bamboo Cultivation Area in India)

Sericulture

Agriculture & Horticulture

Tourism

Food Processing

Khadi and Handloom

Minerals and Stones

Poor road condition

Lack of proper health services

Lack of govt. initiation in terms of national projects

No railway link

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested Solutions:1) NHAI and BRO should take this as top

priority and immediately construct the pending projects

2) Railway projects should come up

3) Attractive industrial setup proposal should be made by state govt.

TRIPURA:

Natural Gas,

Food Processing,

Rubber

Tea

Bamboo

Handloom and Handicrafts, Sericulture

Tourism (Agartala, Pilak and Jampui)

IT and Medicinal Plants

Indo – Bangladesh border

Smuggling

Insurgency

Land conversion

Lack of industrial infrastructure

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested solutions: 1) Special force should be made to tackle smuggling and should be centrally monitored. 2) Attractive industrial schemes should be launched by govt. 3) Tourism should be given high priority

SIKKIM:

Tourism()

Agriculture

Agro Processing

Handlooms and Handicrafts(Euro 5.34 Million has been invested by State to promote silk)

Hydroelectric Power

Tea

Minerals

Sericulture

Horticulture

Indo –Tibbet border

Smuggling

Land conversion

Lack of industrial infrastructure

Illiteracy

Poor road conditions

Potential Thrust Areas

Major state issues

Suggested solutions : 1) BRO (border road organization) should

complete all its pending projects and the road maintenance should be

handed over to a specialized authority

2) Industrial awareness should be promoted. 3)Tourism industry should get more priority.

4) E-learning should be promoted in remote areas.

RESOURCES USED

• http://manipur.nic.in

• http://www.assamgovt.nic.in

• http://arunachalgovernor.gov.in

• http://www.arunachalpwd.org

• http://mizoram.nic.in/

• http://mizopwd.nic.in/

• http://tourismnagaland.com/

• http://www.sikkim.gov.in/

• http://www.tripura.nic.in/

• http://www.sikkimpower.org/power/index.aspx