ProMASS News Bureau: Agartala: Sep 27, 2016: In contrast to the rhetoric of Vivek Debroy, renowned economist and member of NITI Aayog regarding the potentiality of natural resources like bamboo of northeast region in attracting investment and industries, the Ministry of development of northeast has accorded high emphasis upon natural resources of the NE region. A two-day seminar on Bamboo development has started today in New Delhi highlighting the contrast clearly between two top Government institutions.
Recently, Dr Bibek Debroy, Member Niti Aayog while delivering speeches in Agartala at a FICCI organized ‘Connect NE 2016’ summit observed that the natural resources available in Tripura are insufficient to meet large-scale demand and obviously incapable of attracting good amount of investment.
Debroy addressed the FICCI’s “Connect NE 2016” summit on September 22 and 23 before distinguished delegation hailing from Bangladesh, Bhutan and several parts of the country attended the summ it.
”As we saw Dr Debroy in the dais, a great deal of enthusiasm was generated among us”, said a Bhutanese delegate. We were expecting to get Indian government’s vision and strategies relating to tapping natural resources and cash crops of the region, but his speech left us dejected.
A local delegate, who is running a trade centre of bamboo products in Agartala, on condition of anonymity, said that Dr Debroy’s remarks on prospects of setting up of bamboo based industries were neither a pragmatic nor true. “He just pretended to be a well learned person about Tripura and region as well and in his speeches he ultimately succumbed to his pre-conceived conception, said a bamboo merchant of Tripura.
Refuting Dr Debroy’s ‘limited resources’ theory, he said, “several commercial firms like my firm are selling cane and bamboo products in bulk stake to different parts of the country including Delhi every month”. He said, “We receive inquiries from outside investors for setting up of plantation based industries, but they turn back due to poor tele and road connectivity in Tripura and NE region as well.
Not surprisingly, while Niti Aayog member, Debroy was not quite sure about potential of Tripura and other NE States in capitalizing natural resources, the DoNER Ministry has moved eagerly in developing the reserve of natural resources of NER for expanding livelihood opportunities. The contrast in views and vision of Niti Aayog viz. Mr Debroy and DoNER surfaced bitterly to raise a new form of uncertainty and ambiguity, said Mr. Arup Ratan Dutta, a senior journalist of Tripura.
Notably, Bamboo is an important natural resource which is found in abundance in the North Eastern Region. Bamboo can be developed through various technological interventions to improve the livelihoods of the people in the region.
Meanwhile, inaugurating the two day seminar on bamboo development today in New Delhi, the Union Minister of DoNER Jitendra Singh spoke about the problem of youth exodus from north east. He said, the growth of bamboo sector can help youth get employment there. Dr. Jitendra Singh, also unveiled a three pronged strategy to spur the growth of bamboo sector making it an attractive business option for youth in the region.
Initiatives by the DoNER Ministry and Dr. Singh’s speech may augur well, particularly for the people and youths of the Northeast. However, a big question that has already crept into the minds of people of the distant region of the country is whether or not was it a difference in approach to NE region between Debroy and DoNER? Or, is it that Debroy had lacking of adequate knowledge of realities of NER States? Whatever is the case, political analysts opined it is important that the region, encompassed by the highly strategic eastern border, must develop at a higher rate and the Centre should implement the Act East Policy in a more rigorous manner. Considering the ground realities and sincere initiatives of the DoNER, analysts further said, the DoNER Ministry’s views in this regard should get maximum priority.
