PM unveils Rs 10,271-crore economic package for N-E

PM unveils Rs 10,271-crore economic package for N-E
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP AND TILAK RAI

SHILLONG, JAN 22: Winding up his two-day marathon meeting with Chief Ministers and Governors of the seven North-Eastern states and Sikkim, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today announced a Rs 10,271-crore economic package for the region. However, instead of describing it as such, he called it an ``agenda for socio-economic development''.

This package, the Prime Minister said, would not only accelerate the pace of development in the region but also create ample job opportunities. The North-Eastern Council (NEC) has been appointed the nodal agency for implementation of the new package while the PMO would directly monitor the implementation, he added. Besides, he also announced the Centre would reimburse all security-related expenditure for the insurgency-affected states, including Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. For this an additional amount of Rs 1,420 crore is being made available. He also announced a ``peace bonus'' for Mizoram, a state that has remained peaceful for the past 14 years.

Referring to the security-related meeting with Chief Ministers and Governors, the Prime Minister said while there was no question of any negotiation on the issue of sovereignty, the Centre has been holding talks with the NSC(I-M) to find out ``how a meaningful dialogue can be started soon''.

``So far the ongoing dialogue has been (aimed at) starting a dialogue to find a long-lasting solution,'' he said.

Asked about Pakistan backing some rebel groups in the region, the Prime Minister said the Government had clear evidence that the ULFA had links with the ISI. ``We have information about several underground groups seeking assistance from ISI and Pakistan, both in terms of arms supply and money, as also for getting training in Pakistan,'' Vajpayee said.

The PM, however, refrained from divulging anything about the discussions he had with the Chief Ministers and Governors on the security front, except for saying that three new India Reserve Battalions (IRB) would be soon raised in the North-East at a cost of Rs 45 crore and that the Centre would help the states in modernising their police forces.

Nothing was also said on the continuation of the Army for counter-insurgency operations though Chief of the Army Staff Gen V P Malik and Defence Minister George Fernandes were also present at today's crucial deliberations. The schemes included in the new package include providing funds under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), creation of an export development fund, developing the border trade points on the Indo-Bangla and Indo-Myanmar border, upgrading the status of the Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science to that of a national institute and granting approval to two major hydel projects in the Central sector.