core sector communique

Perspective for Planning for the Comprehensive Economic Development of the North Eastern Region in Vision 2020 Document 

The salient goals of the Vision 2020 document for the development of the North –Eastern Region are as follows :

1. Improve the standard of living of the people of North-East.
2. Structural transformation by effecting significant changes in development strategies to achieve growth rates of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) equal to National Averages.
3. Poverty eradication based on participatory planning.
4. Maximizing self-governance by building capacity in people and traditional/local institutions.
5. Harnessing available local resources for development.
6. Substantial strengthening of infrastructure.
7. Expand trade and commerce in the region.
8. Effective governance for establishing peace and harmony in the region.

The document suggests a six-fold strategy for the comprehensive developments of the region:

1. Empowering people by maximizing self-governance and participatory development through grass-roots planning to promote inclusive development.
2. Creation of development opportunities for the rural areas through enhancing productivity in agriculture and allied activities such as animal husbandry, horticulture, floriculture, fisheries and generation of livelihood options through rural non-farm employment.
3. To develop sectors in the region which have a comparative advantage such as agro processing, hydro power generation.
4. Enhancing the skills and competencies of the people and building the capacities for institutions within the Government and outside.
5. Creating a hospitable investment climate to encourage investment by private sector particularly for infrastructure.
6. Harnessing the resources of the Government and the private sector to realize the objectives of the Vision.

The document has not specified State-wise fund allocation. The document provides a roadmap to all stakeholders such as line Ministries of the Union Government, Planning Commission, North Eastern Council and State Governments for formulation of an integrated plan for the development of the North Eastern Region. The fund allocation by the Central Government in the North Eastern Region is inter alia in the form of Assistance for State Plans, North Eastern Council Plan Outlay and Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources Funded Projects by this Ministry, Centrally Sponsored and Centrally Planned Schemes including 10% Gross Budgetary Support of 52 non-exempted Ministries/Departments.

This information was given by the Minister of state (independent charge) in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern region Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar in a written reply to a question by Shri C M Chang in Lok Sabha today.