New agenda for NEDA solving interstate border dispute and fighting drug menace

GUWAHATI: As eight states of Northeast India having North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) government, the political agenda of the NEDA fulfilled, Convener of NEDA Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the forum must now focus on solving the interstates border dispute, fighting the drug menace.
Formed after the Assam Assembly Polls in 2016, NEDA is a platform of non-Congress parties. NEDA had its 4th convention in Guwahati on Monday.

Himanta said, “It is a historic day for us for out of the eight states in Northeast India, NEDA is in government in all the states and Congress is out from all the states. NEDA is all about emotional integration. Presently NEDA has 19 MPs in Lok Sabha out of total 25 seats in Northeast India.”

He said that the new agenda for NEDA is to resolve the interstate border disputes which exists between the North-eastern states.

The border dispute between Assam and Nagaland is being mediated by the boundary commission set up under the direction of the Supreme Court. Assam has border disputes with Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

Himanta said that the NEDA needs to fight drug menace for the youths are falling prey to it.

Union home minister Amit Shah said that government will firmly deal with drug abuse, human trafficking and arms smuggling, along international borders of the country.

Shah said, “When we could resolve the boundary issue with Bangladesh, why can’t states of the North East resolve their inter-state boundary disputes? We are not different countries. We are states of the same country and we are all members of NEDA. It is the right platform and right time to resolve all such pending issues for North East to develop as a whole,” he said.

Shah suggested that all the states of the region make a concerted effort to boost tourism in the region instead of making state-specific plans and policies.

He advised that Chief Ministers or Tourism Ministers of all the states come together and make a comprehensive North East Tourism Package that would serve North East on a platter to the world outside instead of each state presenting itself separately.

He also pointed that flood protection and hydropower are subjects not exclusive to any one state. Therefore, he advised that all the states come together and work out a comprehensive region-specific plan for flood protection works and development of hydropower.

“Some subjects are not exclusive to any one state. These are to be resolved working together and NEDA can be the best platform for this,” he said adding that the central government is giving top priority to North East and is ever ready to help.

He added, “Hallmark of Congress was corruption while BJP from day one took up the cudgels to root out corruption and here’s the result”.

Squarely blaming Congress for the under-development of the region, Shah claimed development of Northeast India was never in their (Congress) agenda. He alleged that Congress’s only agenda was to divide and rule. Earlier governments always believed in the policy of divide and rule and never put concerted efforts for finding solutions for the age-old problems facing the Northeast, he added.

Shah said earlier Northeast India was identified with bandhs, blockades, extremism, arm trafficking and corruption is now known for infrastructure development, organic farming, sports, connectivity and Act East Policy.

“Today all the North-Eastern states are united as one under the umbrella of NEDA and this platform can become the game-changer for the region. All pending issues can be resolved amicably and a united effort can be made for development of each state,” he said.