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NEC to be revamped

A complete revamp of the North East Council, courtesy the home ministry, is in the immediate offing -- and for that, the growing militancy in North-Eastern India provides the cue.

The ministry, thus, has decided to relieve the NEC of its role of reviewing sensitive security-related matters. The reason, explains a ministry official, is that with top militant groups and other insurgents fanning out over the region, it has moved from being a regional issue, to one with serious national ramifications.

Meanwhile, even as extradition proceedings against ULFA leader Anup Chetia began in Bangladesh, the king of Bhutan has expressed concern over Indian militant outfits operating from Bhutanese jungles. In his address to the national assembly, Jigme Singme Wangchuk made clear it was New Delhi's responsibility to tackle the problem.

Given these circumstances, the home ministry has decided to allow the NEC to concentrate on development activities, while the security aspects are taken care of at the central level.

A proposal has been prepared and is now pending Home Minister L K Advani's approval. As per its provisions, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission will chair the NEC, with the chief ministers of the north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura as members.

The council will be vested, by the central government, with administrative and financial powers to sanction schemes within its approved budget, or as per central directives.

Out of the budget allocation for 1997-1998 of Rs 3.24 billion, the NEC utilised Rs 3.2 billion. The Ninth Plan allocation for the NEC is Rs 24.5 billion. Of that, the allocation for the year 1997-1998 was Rs 4.065 billion, out of which Rs 2.3884 billion was earmarked for water and power development.

Agriculture and allied activities were sanctioned Rs 167.7 million, industries and minerals Rs 51.1 million, transport and communications Rs 990 million, manpower development Rs 240.8 million, general and scientific services Rs 57.5 million and externally aided projects Rs 35 million, the report says.

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