SHILLONG: People’s lives are affected by wrong policies and politicians should respond to people’s needs instead of looking at petty political interests, said Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma in his keynote address at the one-day workshop on ‘Looking East through North East: Development and Connectivity’.
Dr. Sangma emphasized that since peoples’ lives are affected by wrong policies hence all governments of the North Eastern states should collectively engage and send a strong message to policy makers in Delhi that the Look East Policy needs to be fast-tracked.
The one-day workshop was organized by IIM Shillong in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), National University of Singapore and Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) on Tuesday.
Dr. Sangma pointed out that the North East needs to get access to the nearest port of Chittagong in Bangladesh which is critical for exports of goods from the region. He lamented that certain political interests are preventing that from happening because they don’t recognize the value of give and take in bilateral relations.
“If the river Brahmaputra was used effectively prior to the Partition it is ironic that we have not been able to use it freely today,” Dr. Sangma said, adding that the region’s land-locked status is now turning it into a playground for Maoists and other negative forces.
In a candid moment, Dr. Sangma pointed out Delhi’s security centric policies and it’s proclivity to treat North East India as a toddler incapable of running on its own is making the region perpetually reliant on the Centre. He pointed out that the existence of IIM Shillong should add value to the region and help develop models for its economic growth, from the ‘best and brightest’ who are fortunate to join the Institute.
Dr. Sangma also stated that Meghalaya is a transit state with a border of 443 km with Bangladesh. He said it is important to plan well so that borders become economic hubs and not theatres for crime and conflict through which only sophisticated arms are smuggled into the State and region. He urged IIM Shillong to map the investment potential of the region and said that all the seven states should take advantage of the presence of the institute.
The workshop was organized to push forward the two-decade-old Policy announced by Government of India way back in 1992 to bolster India’s relations with South East Asian countries to develop synergies and strategic advantages for a holistic growth. The workshop focused on development and connectivity issues restricting the growth of North-East India to meaningfully engage in trade and commerce with its immediate neighbours.
While delivering the welcome remarks, Prof. Amitabha De highlighted the conviction and desire of IIM Shillong in providing avenues for learning and development to the entire NER through various meaningful programs and initiatives, while Falguni Rajkumar, Chairman of the Board of Governors, spoke about the need to look back and analyze the effectiveness of the Look East policy through its existence.
FICCI Chairman Ranjit Borthakur said Northeastern states should have greater autonomy to decide their economic future the way China has granted autonomy to Yunnan province. He said before partition North East India’s borders were only with China and Bhutan but after 1947 it became a land-locked prisoner. He proposed PPP models to develop infrastructure in the North East.
Prof. Tan Tai Yong, Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, said he and his team were interested in research to explore the roadblocks for the successful implementation of the Look East Policy in the North Eastern States. The research findings he said would be of use to policy makers and civil society as they seek better connectivity between ASEAN and North East India.
Other dignitaries present include MP Bezbaruah, Member, North Eastern Council, Ms. Patricia Mukhim, Editor of The Shillong Times and others.
