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Wednesday 6 July 2011

Plan paper : NE CMs ask for better connectivity

Agartala, Jul 05, 2011 : All the Northeast Chief Ministers emphasised on the need of strengthening of connectivity for NE region’s overall development. Participating in the meeting related to Regional Consultation on Approach to 12th five year plan in Guwahati on Monday, they maintained that NE region should have better and effective road-air-water connectivity with rest of the country as well as South East Asian countries.

The NE Chief Ministers also stressed on the need on exploring new avenues for trade and cultural exchange.

“Development of infrastructure needs to be accorded highest priority and all the National Highways in the region should be converted into four lane Highways and alternative Highways should be developed to prevent disruption in supply line where such Highways are the ‘lifeline’ for movement of passenger and goods”, opined Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in the meeting.

He added that railway network should be expanded in the region and converted into broad-gauge system to facilitate smoother and faster movement of goods within the region.

Manik Sarkar asked the Planning Commission to address the basic needs like food security, housing, access to education, healthcare and to ensure adequate opportunities for productive employment for Northeastern people as part of achieving social development.

“While the overall growth rate in 11th five year plan might have been impressive, there have been serious gaps in achievement against the targets in critical areas like education, healthcare, drinking water supply, rural electrification and rural connectivity,” rued Sarkar as he addressed the two-day meeting with Planning Commission headed by Montel Singh Ahluwalia.

Sarkar alleged that despite the claim of fastest growing economy in India the gulf between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ had widening further. “The benefits of the developments were not reaching to the poorest section”, he said.

He also demanded re-orientation of financial relation of centre and states, which would help the states to get the resources from Centre for effectively discharging their responsibilities.

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