The document discusses several opportunities and challenges facing the North Eastern region of India. It notes that the region is strategically located near major Asian economies and has natural resources like bamboo, hydropower potential, and fertile land. However, it faces issues like separatist movements, poor connectivity and infrastructure, low agricultural productivity, and unemployment. The document proposes several solutions like promoting inclusive tourism development owned by locals, boosting small scale agro-food processing industries, enhancing connectivity through inland water transport, developing the region's hydropower potential, and leveraging its educated workforce. Addressing the root causes of discontent through holistic development is seen as key to resolving separatist issues long-term.

1. Rajat Jain
Kumar Utkarsh
Anurag Roy
Nikhil Jain
Rutuja Chhajed
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2THE STATESMEN

2. • Strategically located at cross roads between 3 major economies spanning across East Asia, South Asia
and South East Asia offering a vantage entry point & access to their markets.
• Gateway for our Look East Policy as it is geographically situated between mainland India and SE
Asia.
• Tripura is the second rubber capital of India after Kerala, with a capacity of 35760
hectares as against the present 10000 hectares of rubber plantations.
• Vast expanses of fertile land and has the potential to become the Food Bowl of our country.
• 65 % of India's and 20 % of global bamboo production.
• Immense hydel power resources, with a staggering 50328 MW identified in Arunachal Pradesh
alone, that can cater to the power deficient parts of mainland India and solve the energy crisis faced
by our country.
• 3839 km of navigable river routes, channelling through major towns and cities of the North-East,
thus augmenting connectivity in the rough terrain.
• Huge talent pool with a staggering average literacy rate capped at 79.64 % as against national
average of 74.04 % according to 2011 census which implies a huge English speaking population.
• A Tourists' Paradise.

3. 1.
•A wrangling separatist struggle has continued in the region since the late 140s, making it the longest
running separatist struggle in South Asia.
2.
•Heavy deployment of armed forces in region, causing all the more discontent among the indigenous
people. The draconian AFSPA has been prevalent here for decades & allegations have surfaced that
the army has misused it to harass civilians.
3.
•Innumerable territorial disputes exist between different states - Manipur and Nagaland, Nagaland
and Assam, Meghalaya and Assam, Mizoram and Assam, etc. Arunachal Pradesh is also facing the
brunt of frequent ingresses by the Chinese army.
4.
•Displacement of 3,00,000 people in the fallout following the violence that broke out between Bodo
tribes and Muslim migrants in Kokrajhar, Assam on 20th July, 2012.
5.
•Second-class citizenship to North-Eastern people in mainland India.

4. Stagnantstateofaffairs
Dismal state of Agriculture
Poor connectivity
2.6 million jobs between 2011 and 2021 as against 17 million
job seekers.
Out of India's export volume of about $254.4 billion, NE's
share is only $0.01 billion (0.0039 %).
Extreme shortage of power all across the spectrum. In
Arunachal, 90.33% out of identified 50328 MW yet to be
exploited. 86.55% yet to be developed in Meghalaya with
similar conditions prevalent in all other states.

5. CROP INDIA NE % SHARE OF NE
Rice 99182.4 5813.2 5.9
Wheat 80679.4 71.6 0.1
Cereals 40037.9 337.2 0.8
Pulses 14566.7 143.4 1.0
Food Grains 234466.4 6365.4 2.7
Oil Seeds 27719.0 260.1 0.9
Dismal state of Agriculture
Lean Agricultural Productivity
Fertilizers have hardly been introduced, as can be
deduced from the stated figures: 2.35 kg/hectare in the
region as against national average - 135.27 kg/hectare.
Electricity dedicated to agriculture is under 1
% of the total as against national average of
20.43%.
Poor Connectivity
Railways not viable due to hilly terrain,
challenging topography
A Railway line to Manipur has been under work for years now.
It is yet to be completed. The result is fuel, cooking gas, edible
commodities, etc, has to travel via road. If there is a disruption,
people living in Manipur have no way of getting these
commodities.
Road infrastructure highly deficient; 196.96 road density per
1000 sq km as against 965.73 in India.
Similarly, there is just one airstrip in Mizoram and none at all anywhere near
Arunachal Pradesh. More often than not, inclement weather conditions make
it impossible for flights to land or take off. There is absolutely no night
landing facility.
REGION Railway
Route
(Kilometres)
Area
(Sq Kms)
Railway
Route (Kms
per 100 sq
kms of area)
NER 2452.07 262185 9.35
INDIA 64014.88 3287869 19.47(in thousand tonnes)

6. There is a similarity observed
in all the separatist struggles
the world over. It is the
simmering discontent among
the locals. It is the anger and
the hatred for the incumbents.
It is the determination to attain
complete control over the
resources of one's region.
The whole point is that
development needs to be
inclusive to be the real
development. Otherwise, it just
makes the developed more
developed and the impoverished
more impoverished. It
aggravates tension between the
rulers and the ruled.
What are the reasons for this discontent
and anger? The people of Kashmir were
happy when the Indian army entered
Kashmir in 1948 to protect it from the
Pakistani intruders. But, slowly when the
army started setting camps, building
bunkers, acquiring ancestral lands of the
locals and used a high handed approach to
curb agitations, the discontent and the
demand for freedom began to rise.
In Darjeeling, when big businessmen
established industries, initially locals
were happy to get employment. But
slowly, when they realised that these
businesses were prospering with their
timber, tea and boulders from the
river beds while they were forced to
live in hutments, they started getting
discontented.
The solution that will put an end to the
separatist demands in the north-east is the
holistic and inclusive development. Locals
do not have to be given employment in
factories, they have to be made the owners.
They do not have to be made travel guides,
they should own the hotels. They should be
the ones leading the change, not the ones
getting changed.
Obviously, poor, impoverished people
cannot start a petroleum refinery. They
cannot open a manufacturing company.
Hence, we suggest that the region should
have small and medium scale industries.
These should be financed by the
government for the locals. How exactly
the process should work has been
explained in further slides.
IDENTIFYING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS

7. 4) The selection of the people to whom these
hotels will be leased or to whom loans will
be given should be strictly on the basis of
competition. The screening can be done on
the basis of economic conditions of the
person and his/her educational
qualifications. Then, there can be written
examinations or business plan competitions
to select the best.
5) Considering the highly literate population
of this region, there is no shortage of people
who are qualified enough for this task of
running the tourism industry.
6) This scheme will lead to a decrease in the
number of dropouts from schools as
educational qualification will mean a
lucrative business.
7) To attract more tourists, government can
subsidise air tickets to north eastern cities.
PROMOTING TOURISM : AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH
8) Obviously the question arises from
where will the government provide so
much money? The region receives highest
per capita investment by the centre,
averaging INR 2574.98 against all India
average of INR 683.95 during the 11th Five
year plan. Considering the present
scenario, it is imperative that this money is
being utilized for poor output activities.
The need of the hour is to invest the money
in proper places. This proposed scheme is
one such area where this huge money can
be invested.
9) After the success of this scheme in the
tourism sector, similar schemes can be
introduced to promote green revolution,
food processing industries, horticulture,
etc among the locals.
1) The North Eastern India is a tourists'
paradise. With lush green hills & mighty
rivers the region is Nature's Own
Country. The tourism industry alone can
sustain the economy of this region. To
attract tourists, what is needed is proper
accommodation and other facilities for
them.
2) For an inclusive and holistic
development, it is imperative that locals
own the tourism industry. Here, the
government has to play the pivotal role.
3) Government can provide interest free
loans to the locals to open hotels or the
government can open hotels and give
them on lease.

8. Green Revolution backed by financial institutions, R&D
and marketing functionaries.
Region's comparative advantage in producing fruits, vegetables
and spices can be tapped by setting up small scale processing
units for local markets which will also boost rural employment.
Small processing units need little capital. So, setup is economically
viable.
Considering difficult terrains, we can have common food parks
to provide common facilities like cold storage, warehouse,
quality control labs, packaging, tool room, power and water
supply, sewerage treatment, etc.
Agro and food processing SEZ can be established in the
region.
Private entrepreneurs must be encouraged to establish storage,
distribution and marketing infrastructure such as a cold storage chain
along major arterial highways. For cold chain operations, PPP or lease
can be explored.
There is a huge demand for dried fish in this region,
processing of which is not capital intensive. Fishery
processing, dairy processing and poultry will lead to increase
in production that can be exported.
As rice is the main crop, rice based farming systems involving
pisciculture and rearing of animals, poultry, piggery and goat
can be introduced as an integrated farming system.
As the region is largely unirrigated, rice is followed by fallow.
However, residual moisture in the soil being high, it is possible
to take a second crop in Rabi of oilseeds, pulses or vegetables.
Areas prone to waterlogging can be put under profitable
aquatic farming systems for Singhara, Makhana, Swamp-taro
as well as fisheries.
Orchids, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, fruits,
vegetables, etc can be produced in bounty. Government
should assist in horticulture and organic farming.
BOOSTING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

9. ENHANCING
CONNECTIVITY IN THE
REGION
DEVELOPING THE
REGION AS AN ENERGY
HUB
MANAGING THE
IMMENSE HUMAN
RESOURCES
1) Inland water transport can be a
viable, cost effective alternative in plains
given high cost of expanding other modes
of transportation. It'll also create
employment opportunities, promote
tourism and open up inter country routes
for trade and commerce. Night
navigation needs to be improved. Cargo
vessels and terminals must be increased.
2) There is an urgent need of more
domestic and international airports in
the region. Night landing must be made
possible.
3) Transit access through Bangladesh can
end the geographical isolation of the
north east.
1) The unbridled flow of gushing rivers
alongside untapped wind and
hydroelectric power could wind up
solving the energy crisis faced by our
nation presently.
2) There is so much hydel power that it
can be exported to power deficient parts
of mainland India. 50328 MW has been
identified in Arunachal Pradesh alone.
More than 90% of it is yet to be
developed. There is an urgent need to
develop it.
3) The region is believed to have huge
reserves of oil and gas. We need to
accelerate our oil and gas exploration
programmes in the region.
4) The region has huge deposits of coal.
Scientific processes must be introduced
in mining to increase the output and
maintain the delicate ecological balance
of the region.
1) Institutions of higher education focussing on
environment sciences like botany, social
forestry, ecology sciences, etc. need to come up.
Agriculture universities need to encourage
research in improved cropping and
productivity. Training institutes in food
processing must come up.
2) Various governments give free textbooks to
all students upto class 9. Those who have
studied for free upto class 9 will naturally drop
from school, when asked to pay money all of a
sudden. So, free textbooks should be given
upto class 12th. In colleges, SC/ST book banks
already exist.
3) Train locals in trades relating to exploration
and production of oil and gas. This will
generate employment as well as aid in our
energy independence mission.
4) Develop hydel power to give jobs to
engineers and technicians and to generate
cheap electricity.
5) Open call centres as there is large english
speaking population.
6) Hotels and hospitality industry needs to
come up to employ people.

10. ImportanceofBangladesh
Transit access through Bangladesh is necessary to
end the geographical and economic isolation of the
NE India.
We need the support of the Bangladeshi establishment
to prevent the emergence of a second front of Islamic
radicalism on India's eastern borders, especially with
more trouble expected in Kashmir after the US
withdrawal from Afghanistan.
A large number of terror outfits and insurgent groups
have formed their operating bases in Bangladesh. It is
only with the support of Bangladesh that these can be
stemmed out and normalcy can return to NE India.
It is in our strategic interest to have access to
Mongla and Chittagong sea ports for movement of
goods to and from India.
Goodwill of the Bangladeshi
Government
Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League have
been true to their word and have severely
restricted the activities of Indian insurgent
groups like ULFA and terror groups like
LeT and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.
Bangladesh handed over ULFA leader
Anup Chetia and reopened Chittagong
arms haul case of 2004. After Mumbai
terror attacks, the Indian Government
conveyed to Dhaka its concerns about
Bangladeshi links to the terror outfits
responsible for the assault. Quickly
following upon Indian concerns,
Bangladesh arrested Abdul Rouf Daud
Merchant, an operative of the mafia gang
headed by Dawood Ibrahim.

11. of 1983
allows India and Bangladesh to
share 75% of the river water on
a 39 and 36 percent basis. In
2011, during PM Manmohan
Singh's visit, it was announced
that remaining 25% would be
shared on a 50:50 basis.
Opposition from the Trinamool
Congress refrained India from
signing the deal. Bangladesh
decided not to sign the
agreement allowing transit
access to India.
must be signed. It was signed
on 8 September, 2011 and is
yet to be ratified by the
Parliament. It would give
India a clear and demarcated
border with Bangladesh and
would bring around 200
enclaves out of isolation and
abject poverty. Instead of
fuelling jingoism over a few
kilometres of enclave territory,
the objecting parties would do
well to support the Bill meant
to formalise the agreement.
We need to increase the
bilateral trade from current
5.099 billion US $. Non tariff
barriers are the single greatest
hindrance to increasing trade.
These (introduced by India)
include packaging
requirements, laboratory
testing of food and cosmetics,
custom clearances, etc. This
has caused resentment among
Bangladeshis. They must be
removed. Some of them have
been dismantled but lot more
needs to be done.
would
lead to reduced river flow from the Barak
River and its 2 downstream channels and
this would cause great ecological damage on
the Bangladeshi side. NE Bangladesh may
become a desert and livelihood of thousands
of people who depend on the river will be
destroyed.
has been financed by a grant from
India. We need to start more such
projects.
If these agreements don't come through,
they will adversely affect the
chances of returning to power
in Bangladesh. This will mean an end of
the hopes for our . A regime change
in Bangladesh is what New Delhi can
least afford now.
have
been opened. This is a
fulfilment of the long standing
demand of the local people of
the area and it is hoped that the
resulting economic activity
would contribute to the
economic upliftment of the
people of the area surrounding
border haats. More such Haats
should be opened, both along
Bangladeshi as well as
Myanmar border.

12. Various conflicts and problems in the
North East represent durable
challenges to the integrative and
accommodative capacity of the Indian
democracy. We need to support,
facilitate and contribute to civil
society engagement, participation and
intervention in the region with regard
to conflict prevention. We need to
facilitate intermediation between
various stakeholders involved in the
conflict - public, civil society activists,
state representatives, journalists,
academicians, researchers, etc. We
need to contribute to the promotion of
integration and socialisation into a
democratic political culture through
dialogue and civil education. We need
to promote peaceful coexistence of
conflict affected ethnic groups
through strengthened democratic
processes, with gender being a cross
cutting issue.
Government and private
sectors need to collaborate
and take the lead in providing
solutions to the problems like
abysmal state of
infrastructure, poor
connectivity, rampant
unemployment, low pace of
economic development, law
and order problems, incessant
communal strife, etc. There
needs to be investment in
agriculture, hydel power,
infrastructure as well as in
creating new avenues of
growth through the
development of vertically
integrated food processing
chains, market linked skill
development, cross border
trade, tourism, etc.
Our North East can become
our greatest asset. It can
provide us energy, food, access
to the East Asian markets and
can generate huge revenues
through tourism. We only need
to provide the right impetus to
this region. The good thing is
that we are moving in the right
direction. We only need to keep
moving till our goal is attained.
CONCLUSIONS