SIKKIM;Governor calls upon NEC to look into emulating Sikkim’s plans in other NE States

SE Report

GANGTOK, February 13: Underlining the all round progress made by Sikkim over the years, Governor B.P. Singh has called upon North Eastern Council (NEC) to look into emulating Sikkim’s plans including multi-specialty hospital and capacity building institute with a view to create such facilities in the rest of the North East States.
“These are first of their kind in the region and crucial for proper development. In these two cases, Sikkim’s plan needs to be emulated by NEC with a view to create such facilities in the rest of the northeast states,” Governor Singh said this during the 58th NEC meeting held in Guwahati on February 9.

The annual NEC meeting chaired by the DONER Minister B.K. Handique was attended by several Governors and Chief Ministers of the northeast states.

The Sikkim Governor also informed the members that the State will have its own airport by 2012, rail connectivity by 2015. He said presently NH 31A widening process was taking place and further construction of an alternative road to NH 31A was on the anvil. He also said that internet and telecommunication connectivity to the State was also to be improved in a phased manner. “These connectivity problems needs to be addressed, he said, to initiate any meaningful development process in the region.

He also advocated NEC to invite heads of S.E. Asian countries to come and spend a night in the region with a view to make the look east policy of the government of India both pragmatic and meaningful by attracting investment for the region from the Asian neighbours.

“The NE States was receiving increasing attention of the central government as well as the private sector and therefore he expressed great hope for the future of NEC,” he added.

In his address he said the constitution of NEC marked the beginning of a new chapter in concerted and planned endeavour for rapid development of the northeast region. He added that connectivity in the northeast region has enormously improved than what it was when the Council was established in 1972 and it had brought the people of the region closer to each other. However, he emphasized that a lot more needs to be done to usher in all round socio-economic and cultural development of the region. Towards this end he said NEC must have shared vision for the future.

Further, the Sikkim Governor advised NEC to focus its attention on several crucial issues, particularly in rice production, to accelerate the pace of literacy in places where it is abysmally low and in environment protection.

According to him, per hectare rice production in North Bengal and Brahmaputra valley has slipped several notches as compared to Bangladesh. “While the production in Bangladesh was 37.8 tonnes/hectare, it was 18.3 and 14.6 tonnes/hectare in north Bengal and Brahmaputra valley, respectively,” he said adding that the reason in fall of productivity needs to be probed in greater depth by NEC.

The Governor also raised the urgent need for protection of environment for future generation. “In the quest to maximize income generation natural resources are being over-exploited, leaving nothing for future generation but with adverse impact to the eco-system. This needs urgent attention,” he said.

He was accompanied by the Additional Chief Secretary cum Development Commissioner of the State Planning Department and Secretary, Raj Bhavan.