[Dec 2007, Volume 4 Quarterly Issue] Pdf File size - The IIPM Think ...

THE OTHER PATH
proper management of our technical, financial
and human resources. True, these
resources alone would not suffice, and as
such we have to be very vigilant on those
necessary institutional reforms without
which the transformation of these resources
into socio-economic development
achievements will not be attained.
Development Paradigm
Development is all about people, how they
live their daily lives, how they attain selfrealization
and how they improve on their
living standards. The preliminary work
from which an Integrated Regional Development
Plan emanates is through discussions
at all levels of society, the plan can
therefore validly be said to represent the
aspirations of the local people. This article
covers some of those critical developmental
sectors for Barak Valley that are capable
of showing the most leverage on our
endeavor to improve our position on the
collective income ladder. It is diagnosed
that agriculture, which is presently the
dominant activity in our economy, will
need continuous appraisal of the existing
farming systems and technologies. Effective
research and development within the
framework of local agricultural activities
will enhance productivity and improve on
the quality of farm output. As a corollary
to improvements in farming, a proper marketing
strategy for farm output is needed
to translate these into income. In view of
the subsumed financial resources for this
strategy, it is prescribed that new institutional
arrangements be forged to improve
on financing agribusiness activity through
the establishment of specialized financial
institutions. Although industrial activity
is, as yet, at an early stage of development
in our area, or almost absent in general, it
is common knowledge that this type of
activity has a great leverage on income and
social status in the development process.
Rapid industrialization is perceived to signify
an increase in the population of industrial
units, a quality improvement in output
as well as a geographical expansion of the
market for industrial output.
Looking at the constraints of these specific
objectives, we recommend the adoption
of improved monetary and fiscal
policies that will enhance the mobilization
of savings and facilitate their transfer to
this sector, the targeting of industries
whose technologies are easily assimilated
by the present workforce, the designing of
policies and building of institutions at local
level that will reduce the mortality rate
of the start-ups and spin-offs for all direct
investments and a spatial distribution of
industry in order to curb the rural-urban
drift. Strategies for the main productive
sectors, namely Agriculture and Industry,
have been well articulated with strategies
for the service industries in various states
and regions of the country. Smaller areas,
for instance Guna district in Madhya
Pradesh, have also put in place such perspective
plan but with so much intellectual
and technical expertise belonging to
Barak Valley, no such plan has been
formed till date. The financial sector,
transport sectors as well as the energy and
industry sectors, have been examined in
light of the ultimate objective of such a
plan, namely the transformation of the
Barak Valley into a prosperous region by
the end of the first quarter of the this century.
In an integrated development plan
for the area, the social sectors should be
given the prominence they deserve.
Health, Education and other Social services
form essential pillars of Human Capital
development. Without a coherent and
consistent Human Resource Development
(HRD) strategy, “a decent standard of living
for one and all” as aspired by the people
of the valley today would not be attained.
Finally, perhaps a word of caution
will help dissipate some concerns that people
here and there, may evoke on important
matters not featuring in the document.
The idea of presenting a possible
integrated development plan for Barak
Valley is a specific developmental perspective
and as such constitutional and other
legal matters are best dealt with outside
such a document that proposes to be blue
print for guiding economic and social
policy formulation, implementation and
Resources alone would not suffi ce, and we have to be
vigilant on the necessary institutional reforms, without
which the transformation of these resources into socioeconomic
development achievements will not be attained
monitoring. Implementation strategies do
not also feature in this document but are
already under discussion as to the optimal
strategies and monitoring arrangements.
In order to pilot such an district level integrated
plan, Karimganj district administration
in collaboration with the South
Asia Development Gateway has formed a
District Level Integrated Development
Committee under the Chairmanship of
the local Deputy Commissioner (Collector)
and an expert from the UN Economic
Commission for Asia (Bangkok) will
visit the district in late December, 2007 to
THE INDIA ECONOMY REVIEW
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