In the backdrop of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s “Act East" policy and its message of development for the North East, finance minister Piyush Goyal in his interim budget  on Friday has proposed a 21% increase in budgetary support to the region amounting to Rs.58,166crore for the financial year 2019-20.

A quick recap of the major parts of the North East bouquet in figures go like this: Rs. 580 crore for various schemes of the North Eastern Council, Rs. 931 crore under Central Pool of Resources for Northeast and Sikkim, Rs. 674 crore under other subsidy payable including for North Eastern Region and Rs. 1,700 crore for refund of Central and Integrated GST to Industrial Units in Northeastern region and Himalayan states.

The finance minister further said that central government will introduce container cargo movement to the Northeast by improving the navigation capacity of the Brahmaputra riverand also highlighted some rail and road projects, which were stuck for years and completed by the central government.

With funds increasing, the smiles in faces of the aamadmi of this part of the country must also have broadened.North East after all has been one of the most neglected regions for decades.

Whenever there is any mention of Arunachal and North East in strategic circles, memories of the 1962 debacle revisit. But inspiteof the humiliating defeat then, the development of infrastructure in the area has been on the backburner for many years now. But with now things showing perceptible signs of changes, and more so with this healthy addition of central funds,a ‘feel good’factor has ushered in. Industry bodies hailing it werealmost unanimous in commenting-‘ Northeast deserved this hike’.

Now as a part and parcel of a true democracy, political rhetoric – for and against, ensue after any major issue and herein it has just commenced and will surely amplify in the coming months as we approach the much awaited general elections.

Keeping all these aside it would not be irrelevant to say that when it comes to actual implementation of any allocated fund , North  East has fared rather poorly in the past.Thebelow average standard of the state’s infrastructure, by and large, is an ample testimony to this fact.

It is the lack of infrastructure as any reliable infrastructure index would reveal    has deterred economic growth thereby depriving the region from deriving the fruits of globalization.And it requires little elaboration in explaining that corruption is a very disturbing factor, the villain in our path of reaching our desired goals.Misappropriation of funds, lack of accountability…the list will get lengthy. But it is always better late than never.More stricter vigil and hawk-eyed monitoring of all projects, on-going as well as in the offing is perhaps the only way out.

With an increase in budget allocation there has also been an increase in people’s hopes  for progress who would also keep their eyes wide open.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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