NEW DELHI, April 11 – The Government of India came under renewed pressure to expedite the opening of the international borders with neighbouring countries of the North Eastern Region (NER) under the Look East Policy, as establishing linkages with market emerged as the most crucial factor. For a change, concerns over the internal security situation took a back seat and focus was trained on developmental issues, on the second and last day of the Third North East Business Summit. As the Summit got down to business on Wednesday, the Government of India was faced with some tough questioning by the stakeholders, investors and surprisingly by State Government officials, as well.The doubts over the law and order situation was quelled to a large extent when Director Public policy, Partnership for Responsible Development, Carin Jodha Fischer, who has been working in remote parts in Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border told the Session on Tourism that concerns over the security situation could be put to rest. It is safer in North-East than in Delhi or Noida and most parts of the world," she said.Meanwhile, the most interesting moment came, when Minister DoNER, Mani Shanker Aiyar taking a cue from a question from the audience, asked the officials Ministry of External Affairs to explain the rationale behind keeping the borders with neighbouring countries sealed. "The whole area has been locked up on security ground. Is our policy of Look East going to be dictated by security concerns or commercial and economic interest," Aiyar asked.Adding further, he said most of the States of the North-east have zero export because of the policy of blocking of blocking the international border with countries like Myanmar. Joint Secretary South in the MEA, Biren Nanda responded by informing that the ambitious Trilateral Highway Project between India-Myanmar-Thailand has been held up because of logistical problems like financing and alignment of road. Earlier, sensing the gravity of the situation, Minister of State for External Affairs admitted that the there has been delays in implementing decisions. "We have been slow in implementing decisions," he conceded.However, he assured that the Centre was focused on developing multi-faceted linkages with regional blocks. Cooperation is going on between India and ASEAN, BIMSTEC, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Efforts are on to have multi-sectoral engagements with these regional groupings and countries, he added.Meanwhile, representatives of Indo-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, wanted the Government of India to set up immigration counters at the Moreh border. They informed that patients from Myanmar were interested to come to North-east for treatment now that the Myanmar government has allowed travel by road. G.L.Goenka a representative of the Chamber of Commerce said that India can expect about a million Buddhist tourists as well.Responding to the suggestion, Secretary Tourism, Ashok Mishra said that it was feasible and his Ministry may recommend setting up of an Immigration outpost to the Ministry of Home Affairs.Meanwhile, the response to the Summit was mixed, as investors and entrepreneurs showed some interest about the new industrial policy. However, the concerns over the infrastructure facilities like power, road and linkages between production centres and market took the front seat.At least two Union Ministers including Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patil and Tourism and Culture Minister, Praful Patil failed to turn up, while Commerce Minister, Kamal Nath participated in the Summit briefly. Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma and Union Minister of State for Food Processing, Subodh Kant Sahay chaired sessions on Look East Policy and Food Processing Industry, respectively.Assam's Industries Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi said the State Government has received several expressions of intention. The business inquiries were mostly about cement factories and power sectors. "We are going to examine the proposals," he said.Governor of Assam Lt General (retd), Ajai Singh made a presentation at the session, ‘Horizon of Heaven – Opportunities in the Tourism Sector.’ The Governor said the North East has always remained a forgotten frontier. He further explained the concept behind setting up North East Tourism Development Council to market the Region outside.The round table discussion on issues in the roads, power, oil and gas, real estate, telecom, connectivity and other infrastructure made the officials sweat, as they faced some tough questions from the audience. Participants painted a very dismal picture of the conditions of the road in the Region and bureaucratic red tapism that often holds up important projects.Meanwhile, the Government was also asked to change the policy about maintaining the list of item for trade through Moreh. The List of 22 items has failed to live up to expectation and trade during the last five-six years has dwindled, an official posted at the Moreh border told the Summit.The List should be thrown open and a small list of negative items have be maintained, officials were told.
From Kalyan Barooah, Assam Tribune
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