Dr Jitendra Singh would not have thought when he left the demanding career of a medical practitioner that one day he would become Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lieutenant for the Northeast. With its seamless opportunities, especially as a gateway to ASEAN, the Northeast has become a focus area of development for the government, and the 61-year-old Singh, appointed as Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), amongst the other crucial portfolios – the Prime Minister Office, Public Grievances and Pensions and Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, has emerged as one of the champions for the cause.
The Prime Minister has said that the government has been focusing on the development of the Northeast through its proactive Act East Policy. What are the initiatives?
The Northeast is the economic corridor of India. As part of this policy, we are focusing on reducing isolation of the region by improving all-round connectivity through road, rail, telecom, power and waterways. If the other regions of the country can develop, I see no reason why the northeastern part of the country should be left out. I am also convinced that India can only move forward if all the regions develop uniformly, including the Northeast. The government has sanctioned Rs 33,097 crore for the development of the region in the current budget. It is my conviction that we will bring this region at par with the other developed regions of the country.
Tell us about the NDA government’s priority for the Northeastern region?
The government’s priorities for the region are to encompass massive infrastructure development and enhancement of livelihood opportunities for the common man. We look at the Northeast as a region with immense potential for growth. There are seamless opportunities here and the present government is giving special attention to tap those opportunities for its development.
Your views on why despite its rich natural resources, manpower and the ability to boost the economy through tourism, the region lagged far behind in terms of development?
History of insurgency, ethno-religious conflicts and psychological alienation from the rest of India have made the region’s problems more complex. It is to be noted that more than 40 per cent of the forest area of the Northeastern region is covered with bamboo which has the potential to transform the entire economy of the region. It is the “green gold” of the region and trade and promotion of bamboo and its products can bring about an economic revolution. Export of bamboo produce can earn valuable foreign exchange. Similarly, the rich horticulture produce of the northeast can substitute imported fruits and vegetables in the national economy.
What role is the Ministry playing in providing basic services and an environment for private investment in the region?
The Ministry acts as the advocacy arm of the Northeastern states. It liaisons with different industry groups to showcase the potential of the Northeast to attract private investment. We also encourage multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, ADB, JICA to take up developmental projects related to infrastructure and livelihood in the region. The tourism sector has the potential of being a multiplier effect on the development of the region in creating immense employment opportunities. The Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of DoNER are working together and have conducted B-to-B sessions in this direction. The promotion of tourism, particularly, adventure tourism, will give a huge boost to the employment opportunity in the region.
Road infrastructure and easy connectivity to the rest of the country is what the Northeast needs today. What are the projects the government has undertaken in this direction?
To reduce the surface connectivity gap, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has initiated a mega road development programme under the ‘Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North East (SARDP-NE)’. An amount of Rs 40,000 crore for massive road infrastructure development has been committed by the government for Northeast. To improve telecom capacity, the government has set up International Internet Gateway (IIG) at Agartala, Tripura, by availing the service from the Bangladesh Submarine Company. After the opening of the International Internet Gateway, Tripura has become the third state in the country to have such a gateway after Mumbai and Chennai. All the Northeastern states are going to benefit from this Internet gateway. An agreement in this regard has been signed by BSNL with BSCCL.
Since his taking over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on the development of the Northeastern region. What steps are being taken to bring forth the PM’s vision to make the Northeast a gateway to ASEAN?
India’s Act East Policy emphasises on forming more beneficial ties with South East Asia and Bangladesh. With the inclusion of Myanmar in 1997 as a full-time member of ASEAN it has become necessary to utilise the benefits of the umbrella body and develop land route connectivity with South East Asia creating a region of economic cooperation with other ASEAN nations. In a move to enhance connectivity between the Northeast and South East Asia, the important projects which are in the pipeline are Moreh-Tamu-Kalewa Road, India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Trans Asian Highway, IndiaMyanmar rail linkages, Kaladan Multimodal project, the Stilwell road, Myanmar-IndiaBangladesh gas and oil pipeline, Tamanthi Hydroelectricity project and optical fiber network between Northeast India and Southeast Asia.