Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy told the Assembly on Monday that the State Government would request the Centre not to abolish the DoNER Ministry.

Replying to points raised by Opposition Leader DD Lapang during the debate on the Governor's address, Dr Roy said all the states of the North-East, including Meghalaya, would not like to see that the DoNER Ministry was abolished.

"The DoNER Ministry has played an important role in development of infrastructure in Meghalaya as well as the North-East. The State Government will take up the matter with the Centre to see that the Ministry is not abolished," the Chief Minister said.

He also said the demands from various quarters for constitution of new districts or civil sub-divisions in the State were unlikely to be implemented at this juncture as the Task Force set up for the purpose had made no recommendation on the matter.

He, however, said though the Task Force had not made any recommendation, the State Government had put forward another proposal to the Twelfth Finance Commission but it was turned down.

"We will take up the matter again with the newly-constituted Thirteenth Finance Commission," Dr Roy said, adding the State at present was facing financial constraints.

While denying that there was any disgruntlement in the Police Department over the recent transfer of Additional DGP Anil Pradhan as IGP, the Chief Minister said there was no truth at all in reports that DGP Bijoy K Dey Sawian had gone on leave in protest against the transfer of Mr Pradhan. "The DGP has not gone on protest leave, but he took leave on medical grounds. Transfer of officials in the Police Department is a routine matter which has nothing to do with political scores," Dr Roy said.

He also informed the House that the State Government had notified acquisition of 258 acres of land for extension of runway at Umroi airport to enable landing of Boeing 737 aircraft and that the government was committed to upgrading both Umroi and Baljek airports.

On urban development, Dr Roy said the government had sent to the Union Ministry of Urban Development a proposal for urban development projects worth Rs 180 crore out of which Rs 30 crore was sanctioned for a few projects in March this year.

The Chief Minister also said his government would approach the Centre, seeking extension of the pilot project of multi-purpose identity card to Meghalaya to deal with influx of foreign nationals into the State. He also said existing rules for checking influx would be amended in order to strengthen detection and deportation of outsiders.

While stating that the Education Policy would be finalised after receiving more suggestions and views from experts, NGOs and stakeholders, Dr Roy said so far 34 organisations, including teachers' associations, had submitted their views on the draft education policy.

Referring to the mining policy, he said the process to formulate the policy was on even as he stressed the need to incorporate better guidelines to stop rampant destruction of environment through unscientific mining of coal and other 

The Chief Minister further said the Meghalaya Government was depending on assistance from the Centre through the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) to provide relief to people affected by flood and natural calamities in the State.

The State's share in the CRF is 25 per cent. Rs 494 lakh was sanctioned for the purpose during 2007-2008.

Earlier during the day, other members who took part in the debate include Dr Phlour W Khongji, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, Lahkmen Rymbui, Roytre C Laloo, Charles Pyngrope, Frankenstein W Momin, Augustine Marak, all from Congress, and Adolf L Hitler Marak of NCP.

Chief Minister Donkupar Roy told the Assembly on Monday, "Some members have suggested that the name of the IIM, preceded by 'Rajiv Gandhi', is a dilution of the name of the prestigious institute."

"It is a very important suggestion. We will take up the matter with the appropriate authority at the Centre," Roy said in his reply to the debate on the Governor's address.

Some of the legislators, including Congress MLA P Tyngsong, were of the opinion that the IIM is a brand name. "Other IIMs are known after their city locations. Similarly, IIM in Shillong should also be known after the city," they felt.

The RGIIM, the seventh IIM of the country, will begin its first academic session from June, with 22.5 and 27 per cent reservation for SC/ST and OBC students, respectively.

The institute will accommodate 60 students, including those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as per the new reservation policy. (PTI)

SHILLONG: The State NCP on Monday decided to field former Lok Sabha Speaker and NCP general secretary Purno A Sangma's daughter Agatha K Sangma in the by-election to Tura Lok Sabha seat scheduled for May 22.

Ms Agatha is the third offspring of Mr Sangma to join active politics. The NCP leader's two sons Conrad Sangma and James Sangma were elected to the State Assembly recently. The Tura seat fell vacant following the resignation of Purno A Sangma after his victory in the March-7 Assembly election.

Announcing Agatha's candidature before the Press, Purno A Sangma said the party and people of Garo Hills had wanted her to contest the election.

Dismissing allegations that he was encouraging dynastic politics by fielding his daughter in election, Mr Sangma said he was "not grooming any of his children to be his successor."

"I treat them like other party members. If you call it dynasty, then this is a different kind of dynasty," Mr Sangma said.

MPA partners, especially UDP, have offered to support the NCP candidate. Meanwhile, 28-year-old Agatha said improving infrastructure in Garo Hills, particularly road connectivity and rural electrification, would be her priority.

While saying it was the desire of the people that she contested the bye-election, Ms Agatha said she would try to convince the Centre to provide more funds for development of the region.

"I want to be the voice of the people of Garo Hills and will raise their problems in Delhi," she said.

Ms Agatha will file her nomination papers on May1.

The villages, including Pomlakrai, formed a committee at a meeting on Monday to take up the matter of alleged land encroachment by IAF upon private lands.

The meeting, which was attended by representatives of KSU, Meghalaya Indigenous People's Forum (MIPF), Khasi Women Welfare & Development Association (KWWADA), alleged that IAF had illegally occupied a plot of land measuring 16.7 acres owned by one Regina Kharkongor.

Addressing the meeting, KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said information collected through RTI showed "many irregularities in the Deputy Commissioner's office regarding purchase of land."

SHILLONG: Concerned over the recent caving in of Krem Mawkhyrdop, a historical cave near Mawmluh, Sohra due to limestone quarrying by Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL), Meghalaya Adventurers' Association (MAA) has sought intervention of the State Government in the matter.

In an open letter to Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy here on Monday, MAA general secretary Brian Daly Kharpran said Krem Mawkhyrdop, India's seventh longest cave, had collapsed due to uninterrupted limestone quarrying by the MCCL since the 60s.

Mr Daly termed as "hideous crime" against nature the collapse of a section of the main trunk passage of the cave due to limestone blasting by MCCL.

"If this problem (quarrying of limestone) is not dealt with, the future of Krem Mawmluh would be in jeopardy. Sohra being a famous tourist destination, Krem Mawmluh could be a great revenue earner for the State and its people," Mr Daly said.

He said the Association had over the years tried to prevent "imminent destruction" of Krem Mawmluh through talks with the State Government, elders and youths of the village but these efforts fell on deaf years.

"It appears that we are all indifferent, lethargic and insincere in our commitment to the cause of protection of the environment, especially cave environment," MAA general secretary, adding Krem Mawmluh would soon be in history books.

Mr Daly pointed out that Meghalaya was famous as one of the finest caving regions in the world.

"Caves are regarded as natural and archaeological heritage assets the world over for their value as scientific resource. They hold secrets of past life and much could be deciphered of the earth's history from a study of the contents of their innards," Mr Daly added.

SHILLONG: In a bid to ease traffic jam in the State capital, Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh has asked Ri-Bhoi district police to seek support of Kamrup district administration, Assam to monitor movement of trucks into Meghalaya.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday after holding a meeting with top officials of Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hill districts, Mr Lyngdoh said, "I have instructed the Ri-Bhoi SP to take up with Assam's Kamrup district administration monitoring of entry of trucks into Meghalaya.

Trucks coming from Assam should enter, be parked and move out of Meghalaya as per scheduled timings."

According to the minister, the meeting also asked the Additional Inspector General of Police to take up the matter with defence authorities, including 101 Area and Assam Rifles, and submit a report within a week time.

Mr Lyngdoh said the AIG would find ways and means with Air Force authority and Assam Rifles to ensure that gates like those in 101 Area remain opened to allow public vehicles to pass on without any restriction.

He said parking places and timings for plying of trucks would be arranged in Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hills districts soon.

SHILLONG: Symantec, a global information technology (IT) company, the fourth largest in the world, is all set to start its operation in Meghalaya, informed a highly placed source in the Government. The US-based company with its Asia office in Singapore has signed an MoU with the Government of Meghalaya, the source informed. Symantec operates in 40 countries of the world and in four cities in India of which Shillong will be one. Symantec is listed by Forbes magazine as one among the Blue Ribbon, Fortune -1000 companies. Symantec, it is learnt, will train at least 2,000 graduates each year to make them employable by IT companies.

Negotiations with Symantec had been going on since September last year. Earlier this year, an MoU was signed between Government of Meghalaya and the company which is expected to start its operation within the next three weeks, the source said. The last leg is to finalise the Letter of Credit between the company and the State Government.

When asked what were the terms of references within which Symantec would operate, the source informed that the company would facilitate setting up of the IT Estate in a sprawling acreage at the New Shillong Township. "This is a huge project and the State Government needs some hand-holding which Symantec would provide," the source added. Symantec would also be engaged in capacity building of local IT entrepreneurs and practitioners and provide advisory services to the Government. "We expect the company to attract investment in the IT sector by creating a climate of client confidence," the source said.

The Government will provide the necessary wherewithal such as water, electricity, and broad-band internet connection.

"Symantec will basically help us get major IT companies to set up their shops here," the source claimed. Chilly Breeze, an American IT company has already started activities in the IT Park at Lum Jingshai Complex. "The only problem expressed by  Symantec is the non-availability of an airport at Shillong. Since the company operates from Singapore it would have cut down the travelling time if Shillong was directly linked to Kolkata by air," the source added.

Currently Symantec is operating in Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. Its next stop is Shillong.

SHILLONG: To mark the fiftieth death anniversary of late Dr Homiwell Lyngdoh, his family members and well wishers will hold a special prayer service on Tuesday. Dr Homiwell Lyngdoh was the first Khasi to hold a medical degree. But he is remembered more for his contribution towards the enrichment of Khasi literature.

Recalling the contributions of Dr Lyngdoh as a writer, prominent Khasi author Maurice G Lyngdoh stated that although a physician, late Dr Lyngdoh was a born literateur. In the midst of his arduous task as a physician, he rendered selfless, life-long devotion to the cause of Khasi literature, culture and history.

He also said that Dr Lyngdoh played an important role in the historical investigation of the origin of the Khasis which can be gleaned from his book, "Ka Niam Khasi" (The Khasi Religion) .

"The first book he published was on health and hygiene which saw the light of day in 1914. Four years later he published a book entitled "Ka Shad Nongkrem bad Thang Syiem Sohra" (The Nongkrem Dance and the Cremation of the Syiem of Sohra), Mr Lyngdoh stated.

"In 1933, Dr Lyngdoh wrote a book entitled "The short accounts of Cherrapunji", which was presented to Lord Wellingdon, the then Governor General and Viceroy of India, during his visit to Cherrapunji that same year", Mr Lyngdoh said adding, "After traveling extensively to various parts of Khasi-Jaintia Hills, Dr Lyngdoh was inspired to embark on a more ambitious project of writing a book on "Ka Niam Khasi" (The Khasi Religion) and "Ki Syiem Khasi bad Synteng" (The Khasi and Synteng Syiems) which were published in 1937 and 1938 respectively".

He stated that the publication of these two books raised Khasi literature to its acme. It was also considered a great event in Khasi literary achievement.

Khasi scholars claim that as a result of Dr Lyngdoh's literary research, Khasi literature was introduced for the first time in the 1930's as a subject of higher education in the Kolkata University, adding that his success at including Khasi literature as a subject of higher education in the graduate courses is Dr Lyngdoh's greatest achievements during his lifetime.

"It was due to his indefatigable energy that a strong foundation was laid for future historical research in the field of Khasi culture. Among the luminaries of the age who contributed largely to the literary world of the Khasis were U Soso Tham, Rev Father Elias Hopewell Sohliya and Dr Homiwell Lyngdoh" Mr Maurice Lyngdoh stated.

It may be mentioned that Dr Lyngdoh graduated from the Calcutta Medical College in 1903.

He is also the first Civil Surgeon from the Khasi community who served in different parts of the erstwhile State of Assam for several years.

He was the first Khasi officer to be commissioned in the Indian Medical Service where he served for four years from 1917 to 1921 and held the rank of a captain.

Shillong: The Khasi-Jaintia Welfare Association (KJWA) has submitted its views and proposals on revamping the education policy of the State.

In a letter to the Commissioner and Secretary, Education Department recently, the Association while expressing concern over the increasing rate of drop-outs in the State, suggested that the fee structures for students should be formulated in such a manner that the students who come from low income families are not affected.

It also proposed for setting up of a proper monitoring committee to oversee functioning of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme its implementation, besides emphasising on releasing of prescribed textbooks to all students in time as well as avoiding frequent change of syllabi.

Frequent change of text books at every occasion would create big problems for those who come from poor family.

It also suggested for conducting regular refresher course trainings for the teaching community right from the lower upto the highest levels, to ensure that quality education is imparted to the students to the best possible way while pointing out that teachers in rural areas should be provided attractive pay package.

The Association also suggested for setting up of upper primary schools for areas consisting of four neighboring villages and colleges in all block levels by introducing job orientation courses apart from setting up vocational institutions in all districts by providing computers and other facilities to all educational institutions in rural areas.

Police said the house was also partially damaged from the incident. The body was taken to Shillong Civil Hospital for post-mortem.

Talking to The Shillong Times, Division Engineer BS Roy said the cables were kept underground with measure points at different stages to check-out technical snags whenever there is any default while pointing out that the miscreants had burnt the cable purposely. An FIR has been lodged with Jowai police in this connection.

JOWAI: Three major tourist spots within Amlarem Sub-Division in Jaintia Hills were inaugurated by Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Fredrick Roy Kharkongor in the presence of former War Jaintia MLA, Riang Lenon Tariang at Jarian on Monday.

The three tourist spots include the Thlu-Muwi Falls, the Jarain Pitcher Plant Lake, the Krang-Shuri Falls and the 400 years old stone bridge across the Thlu-Muwi River besides another stone bridge on Thwai Syiem. All the spots are located in War Jaintia area of Jaintia Hills district and are expected to give the much needed boost to tourism industry in the district.

The Jarain Pitcher Plant Lake has been handed over to the Jarain village authority for maintenance. All the three tourist spots have been developed under the Special Tourism Scheme of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) through the initiatives of the Deputy Commissioner along with strong support from other departments in the district.

The stone bridge, constructed across the river hundred years ago, was partially damaged and left without repair for two hundred years.

According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the bridge was constructed about 500 years ago by Jaintia kings or Jaintia Raja to facilitate transportation from Jaintiapur (now in Bangladesh) to the summer capital of Jaintia kingdom at Nartiang village.

Earlier, the stone bridge, a prominent historical monument in Jaintia Hills, was left unattended for centuries. But with the active initiative of the district administration, such historical monuments were restored to their original glory thereby attracting tourist from far and wide

Another stone bridge was inaugurated on the Thwai Syiem, a part of river Thlu-Muwi, which also has another historical background related to Loh Ryndi. Loh Ryndi was believed to have married Li Dakha, a mermaid. Offsprings between Loh Ryndi and Li Dakha were said to be highly intelligent and strong. Their descendants later became the kings of Sutnga or the Jaintia Rajas who ruled Jaintiapur for many centuries.

According to legend, Thwai Syiem was the location where Loh Ryndi fished fished the mermaid. It was believed that he followed his wife to the water world underground by jumping into the Thwai Syiem.

War Jaintia has several historical places and most of these places can be developed for tourist attraction.

Krang Shuri - another tourist destination inaugurated jointly by Mr Tariang and Mr Kharkongor.

According to the locals, Krang-Shuri Falls was the place where the Jaintia kings along with their soldiers used the place to sharpen their swords and weapons. The falls has a cave inside.

During the summer, the water falls acts as a canopy covering the cave and the soldiers, who took shelter inside making it a safest place for them to rest.

The district administration through the DRDA Special Scheme has constructed a long traditional footpath and a stone bridge, made of stones only to the cave.

Mr Tariang informed that the constructions were made keeping in mind the techniques used by the Jaintia kings during their time.

The security said it all. Seventeen thousand policemen, National Security Guard commandoes, Chinese security personnel, clogged roads, lakhs stranded, over 45,000 man hours lost, 3 lakh cars burning 1.3 lakh litres of extra fuel, 50 flights cancelled and over 200 passengers stranded. All to keep away the Tibetan protestors and the Indian public from the Olympic torch run on New Delhi’s Rajpath stretch and its onward journey to the airport on Thursday last. So much for keeping alive the Olympian spirit!

Worse, New Delhi’s lack of self esteem was on full national public display when it kowtowed to the Chinese paranoia about the safety of the Olympic torch from protesting Tibetans. It is all very well to assert that New Delhi as the host country was only trying to securitise the safe passage of the torch along with trying to do a balancing act: Of maintaining ties with China while preserving the "unique" relationship with the Tibetans and continuing to host the Dalai Lama.

However, by playing both ends against the middle it ended up with egg on its face. Heavens would not have fallen if the Tibetan protestors had been allowed to protest on the sidelines of the Olympic ceremony. Specially, after the Dalai Lama had given a clarion call to his followers to abhor violence. Till date the Tibetan protests have been peaceful. Moreover, India is a democracy with strong fundamentals of free speech and expression unlike Communist China gagged by its Government. Remember, the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Also, recall, that Beijing did not raise the ante against the UK and France when the Olympic torch was snuffed out and carried away by Tibetan protestors in London and Paris. What prevented New Delhi from following the American lead? Fearing that Tibetan protestors would try to abort the torch ceremony in San Francisco, it changed the venue at the last minute.

If truth be told, New Delhi allowed itself to be outmaneuvered by Beijing yet again. Asserted a China watcher: "I appreciate high idealism, the ideals of democracy. But I think what one has to look at is, ‘What is your leverage? What is your possibility of bringing about change in Indo-Sino ties?’" "Zero." Raising a moot point: Why do we always kowtow to the Chinese? Are we scared?

Specially against the backdrop that Beijing has shifted the goalpost on the border issue immediately after the Prime Minister’s return from China early this year. First, it took strong exception to Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal and accused India of building bunkers on the Sikkim borders. It claimed that Indian troops were transgressing into the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and building structures along it and the Indo-Bhutan border. No matter the Chinese had destroyed bunkers on the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in November 2007.

Not only that. In the last few weeks Beijing has got New Delhi to cancel the Vice President’s meeting with the Dalai Lama, summoned our Ambassador past midnight to protest against storming of its Embassy in New Delhi. Chinese hackers have broken into External Affairs Ministry’s computer network possibly accessing e-mails through which officials communicate policy and decisions across the ministry’s offices in India and in our foreign missions.

Topped by an anti-India article on the China Institute of International Strategic Studies website titled ‘A Warning to the Indian Government: Don’t Be Evil!’ and replicated in the People Liberation Army’s journal. Calling India "arrogant", it states: The present situation is just like in 1962, when India "misjudged the situation" and initiated a war "with the support of two superpowers". It is on the "same old path of confrontation with China. To realise its ambition of becoming a regional and global power India was stationing its troops along its borders, particularly the Siliguri Corridor and borders it shares with Nepal and Bhutan."

Clearly exposing Beijing’s thinking on strategic affairs viz New Delhi. Let’s face it. The genesis of the Sino-Indo border dispute is not Arunachal or the LAC but the strategically important Tibet, sandwiched between India and China, which acted as a buffer and was regarded as an impregnable barrier to security threats from India's north-east. Till the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 changed the equation between Beijing and New Delhi for all times to come.

Sadly, the romanticist Nehru committed the crucial blunder of seeing the Maoist takeover of Tibet as heralding a new era of Asian renaissance and compounded it by signing a border trade agreement with China, categorically acknowledging Tibet as a ‘Region’ of China. Without any clue of where the ‘Region’s’ borders extended to. Predictably, a few months later, Chinese maps surfaced showing large parts of Ladakh and Assam (now Arunachal) as parts of Tibet. When Nehru asked his Chinese counterpart Chou en Lai, he said that the maps were "old" and that he would have them reviewed. It never happened.

Over 58 years later, we find the continuance of Nehru’s soft approach smacking of appeasement. Manmohan Singh, like Nehru not only seems to be bending over backwards to appease the Chinese but also appears to be following his disastrously flawed China policy. Like his predecessors, he too has assured Beijing that the Tibet is a part of China. Neither has it protested over the building of a railway link to Lhasa, which will improve its capacity in case of a conflict with India. Reminiscent of the massive road building in the 50s to liberate Tibet. Even as the Chinese persist in declaring Arunachal (specially Tawang) and large chunks of Ladakh as parts of Tibet and, therefore, an integral part of China.

Also, according to a top security expert, China may be tempted to engage in cross border military moves in Arunachal to divert attention from Tibet in the future. Towards that end it has started construction on its side of the old Stillwell road connecting Arunachal with its Yunnan province through Myanmar. It wants New Delhi to reopen this link, even as India plums for the road linking Manipur to Myanmar.

With water likely to emerge as a major security-related issue in southern Asia in the years ahead, India can hardly ignore the fact that the Indus, Sutlej and Brahmaputra originate in occupied Tibet. Importantly, not many are aware that China controls the origin base of many Indian rivers that originate in the Tibetan plateau. While the country is facing a severe water crisis, Beijing has already anticipated future water shortage and planned for it. Towards that end, it has constructed a dam at the headwaters of the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra to divert their waters to its parched provinces of Xingian and Gansu. Thus aggravating India’s water woes. Beijing has been so loath to clearly define the frontline with India that it broke its 2001 promise to exchange maps of the eastern and western sectors by the end of 2002. It continues to occupy 43,180 sq kms of J&K including 5,180 sq km illegally ceded to Beijing by Islamabad under the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement in 1963. China accuses India of 90,000 sq km of Chinese territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh

Scandalously, China continues to adopt double standards in regards to the McMohan line. While on the Indo-Sino border it regards the line as illegal, yet it recognizes the line demarcating its border with Myanmar. As Myanmar is no threat to Chinese influence in the region unlike India. On Sikkim too, China may have ceased its cartographic aggression on it through its maps, but the important point, often overlooked, is that it has yet to expressly acknowledge that Sikkim is part of the Republic of India, while Arunachal is shown as a part of China and J&K as disputed. Interestingly, the areas currently in occupation of Pakistan and China are conveniently left out.

Of great concern to New Delhi are Beijing’s moves to make inroads in the Indian Ocean region. It has strengthened its presence in the blue waters surrounding India. It has built a port in Gwadar for Pakistan, is financing port projects in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, is helping Bangladesh build its N-energy plan. Effectively rounding up India, while keeping New Delhi in good humour. Time to take the Chinese bull by the horns and repair the damage from the blunders of Nehru and successive Prime Ministers. One way for New Delhi to get Beijing to give up its claims on Indian territories and formalise the present borders is to build counter-leverage by quietly reopening the Tibet annexation issue by China and its subsequent failure to grant autonomy to the Tibetans, despite an express pledge contained in the 17-point agreement it imposed on Tibet in 1951. Manmohan Singh must remember that there is no place for rhetoric in dealing with China. Nor repeat the Olympic torch fiasco when in its eagerness to appease the Chinese, New Delhi scorched its national honour. This one act carries with it a huge cost and a cross that India would have to bear for years to come. Clearly, our leaders need to proceed cautiously and realistically in their dealings with the inscrutable Chinese. --- INFA

The Wanchoo Committee in 1974 estimated that black money in India was around $92 billion. According to the latest World Bank assessment the volume in black money has reached a staggering proportion of $824 billion. A major part is accounted for by business houses and politicians of the country.

There are many popular images of the black economy, like, it is all about bribes. Some believe that it is the result of high taxes and/or of governmental controls. Yet others consider it to be a universal phenomenon and nothing to worry about. These ideas barely skim the surface of reality about the black economy.

Bribes are important but are a small part of the black economy and not even counted when measuring its size. The employment potential of the economy declines because of the associated unproductive activities, criminalisation of society and the wasteful and sub-optimal use of resources it leads to. Parts of it are like digging holes and filling them—people are active without producing anything. The same road is repaired time and again rather than the money spent on laying new ones.

It causes the usual to be the unusual and the unusual to be the usual. Police should maintain law and order but many are busy collecting hafta and gain from an increase in crime. Two-hundred and twenty volts of electricity are received accidentally on some days but mostly it fluctuates and causes bulbs to fuse and damage the electricity equipment. The citizen leads a harassed life, becomes cynical because nothing seems to happen in the routine ways and gets alienated from society. Work is not done in the routine way to extract bribes. The work ethic suffers, belief in social erodes and there is loss of dynamism—another name for poverty.

The black money has hit at the very roots of civilised society in India. It has adversely affected the long-term prospects of the elite groups themselves—those who have spawned it for their short-run gains. It has not even improved their immediate prospects since they also lose out in the short run. The growing black economy has led to policy failure and strengthened the well-off relative to the poor. But contradictions have forced the system to the current crisis which has forced Indian capital to yield gains to international capital.

The latter is strong enough to make Indian capital concede much more than necessary. This is specially so since national capital as the prime mover of the black economy in the last fifty years had weakened itself technologically and financially and convinced itself that the nation lacks resources. This notion that the nation in short of resources has been internalised by other sections of the society, like, the politicians. Indigenous alternatives are ruled out of hand by them and they ask where else this has been tried. As if India cannot take the lead. This loss of dynamism is the other name for poverty.

The poor in India are at the receiving end of this process either way. Marketisation, whether of the global or the indigenous variety, marginalises the poor further. The black money has been playing this role in the Indian economy and its legitimisation will worsen the situation for the poor.

The black economy has grown from around 2 per cent in the mid-fifties to about 15 per cent in 2004-05 to about 32 per cent even though the tax rates have come down from 97.5 per cent to 30 per cent. Illegal activities, like drugs and flight of capital contribute 8 per cent of GDP. A capital-short country is exporting capital to the tune of $4 billion every year so that the shortage of resources is apparent but not real. The black incomes are concentrated in the hands of 3 per cent of the population and worsen the income disparities. Thus, even if the black economy is a worldwide phenomenon, it can hardly be ignored, given its deleterious consequences.

The black economy is the result of growing illegality in society. The existence of traffic lights on roads cannot be said to be the cause of traffic violations. More and more individuals are seeking solutions outside the social framework and causing the black economy to grow.

Businessmen have formed a nexus with bureaucrats and politicians to enable them to make profits illegally. This triad shares the profit. To successfully bend rules, the vested interests need not only to subvert the politics but also the bureaucracy and the judiciary. Politics has become less and less representative and caters to the interest of the vested interests. Since power has become the route to extra economic gains, politics has become sectional with the objective of gaining power through whichever means possible.

It is not that genuine politics requires black incomes to fight elections that the triad need to control politics for its own survival. State funding of elections will not work since politicians indulge in large-scale illegality for which legal funds cannot be used. Technical suggestions for controlling the black economy, like, demonetisation, voluntary disclosure, gold bond, acquisition of under-valued property and lowering of tax rates, have failed since black economy is not purely an economic phenomenon.

There is no short cut to subjecting our politicians to public pressure to make them accountable. A complete package of reforms is required, like, right to information, simplification and modification of the tax structure, accountability of businessmen and electoral reform.

The direct cost of the 2004 general election was 0.025 per cent of GDP. If repeated elections bring about accountability, the gains would far exceed costs. In Bali, Ravana never dies—the struggle between the good and evil continues.

A movement is needed to check the black economy and costs are worth it since it would be a fight for a civilised existence. INAV

Madam,

This letter is prompted by your front page news about alcohol - casualties among the young (ST April 18).

Some years ago, I went to offer my condolence to the family of an elderly person who died at 90. The family doctor was there. In the course of the conversation, the doctor said that the person lived for long because he did not do anything which shortens or destroys life. Then, he added,'Today many of our young people will not live half his age because of alcohol-abuse which is on the increase.'

I thought the doctor was over reacting. So, I decided to verify his statement. Whenever I heard of a person who passed away, I inquired about the age and the cause of death. I discovered, to my surprise, that those who died within the age of forty, died of alcohol abuse. I said to myself : 'The doctor was right!'

Yours etc.,
J. Cilia
Shillong.

Dear Madam,

Kudos to Naba Bhattacharjee for highlighting the rationale and the synergy required to boost the overall development of the state and thus create a wealthy and prosperous state. I am a firm believer that co existence with mutual respect for each other's culture and tradition is the key to a vibrant society. I had left the state decades ago due to some apprehension. Sadly I see the same plight and apathy in the mindset of people, even as government continues to mismanage its affairs.

Let me cite an example of the demographic status of UAE. We Indians are the pioneers in the development of this modern country where the population ratio is 20: 80 with a predominantly expatriate population. Yet, the co-existence and harmony of all the different 240 nationalities which live there is remarkable. Opportunities are equally open to one and all who wish to establish and create wealth in this desert land. The flip side is that the locals have an edge over expatriates. But at the end of the day we all live dignified, fearless lives with unlimited opportunities for growth.

My humble plea to all the right thinking people of the State is to all join hands and be partners in the growth and development of Meghalaya. This is the crying need of the present generation.

Regards
Raj Sapkota
From Dubai

Dr Kakodkar, who was here to flag off Bhabatron-II meant for providing external radiotherapy at Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), said there were some problems regarding the issue of uranium mining in Meghalaya but these would not deter the efforts of DAE.

"We are pursuing the plan to undertake uranium mining in Meghalaya. DAE would be able to convince the people of their safety," he said.

Dr Kakodkar also strongly advocated the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"We had a discussion with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and another round of talk is on the offing. We are also having domestic discussion on the deal to reach a consensus. Based on the outcome of the discussion, the government will make its stand clear to the IAEA," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of DEA's Public Awareness Division SK Malhotra played down what he called "unnecessary fears" over uranium mining in Meghalaya and expressed the hope that the "misconception" about the issue would be over, paving the way for uranium mining in the State.

It may be noted here that DAE has been pursuing the issue of uranium mining in Meghalaya for the last ten years without success due to opposition from various quarters. Local people feel that uranium mining will have adverse impact on the ecological balance in Meghalaya.

The Parliamentary panel has expressed "regret" over "inordinate delay" in formulation of the national tribal policy. The policy aims to address issues like lower human development index, poor infrastructure and exclusion of aboriginals from mainstream society.

"The Committee regrets to point out the inordinate delay in formulation of the national tribal policy. At this stage the Committee cannot but overemphasise the need for early consideration and approval of this policy by the Group of Ministers," in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha on Monday said.

The Ministry had formulated the draft policy in June 2006 in order to address issues concerning tribals - lower Human Development Index, poor infrastructure, diminishing control over the natural resources base, persistent threat of eviction from their habitat, exclusion from mainstream society, inequality in distribution of wealth and opportunities.

"However, the Committee notes with regret that this policy has not yet been finalised and is still under consideration by a Group of Ministers," it added.

The Committee note that for 2008-09, the Ministry had been allotted Rs 2121 crore against their demand of Rs 2921.33 crore. This will adversely affect the implementation of ongoing schemes/programmes, it said.

Guwahati: Exporters based in the land locked North Eastern states demanded a special package of incentives under the new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) for augmenting the volume of exports from the region during an interaction with the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), RS Gujral here on Monday.

During the meeting, organized by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), and Federation of Industries and Commerce North Eastern Region (FINER), the NE exporters cited want of proper infrastructure facilities, transport bottleneck and complex bureaucratic procedures as major hurdles and sought a special package under the current Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) to boost export from the region.

As on date the total worth of volume of export of different items from the region including tea and coal stands in the range of Rs 125 crores per year.

The NE traders were specific in demanded inclusion of tea produced in the North East under the Vishes Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana (VKGUY) in view of coffee being included under the same scheme. The DGFT was told that both tea and coffee being considered plantation crop, it was unjustified to leave out tea while including coffee under the VKGUY.

The DGFT was urged to take initiative for setting up of more Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in the region. The only ICD located at Amingaon in Guwahati is about 1100 kilometers away from Kolkata port.

The DGFT, Mr Gujral in response acknowledge that, "North East does face tremendous bottleneck and hardship and the Government of India is conscious of the region."

He assured that Government of India would try by involving all the State Government of the region to address the issues raised by the exporters from the region.

While dwelling on transport bottleneck faced by traders of the region, the DGFT pointed out that discussion was on with Myanmar to open a trade route through that country so that exporters from the land locked NE region could get access to a sea port located close by in that country. He, however, the ideal situation would have been when traders from the region could get access through Chittagong seat port in Bangladesh.

IMPHAL: Manipur units of six political parties - Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist), Manipur People's Party (MPP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Janata Dal (Secular), and the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) - on Monday registered strong protest over the hike in prices of essential commodities in the country while expressing support to the United National People's Alliance (UNPA) and Left Front movement against price hike.

The parties also decided to pressurise the Manipur Government to initiate steps to contain the escalating prices of essential commodities, which has badly affected low income groups in the State. Representatives of all the parties are expected to meet Chief Minister Ibobi Singh to discuss the matter.

The decision to this regard was reached on Monday during the one-day convention against price rises in the State organised by the Left Coordination Committee, Manipur at Imphal.

The convention resolved to convene an all political parties meeting to discuss the issue and law and order problems in Manipur.

Failure of the public distribution system in the State, food shortage, corruption in appointment of employees in various Government departments, were discussed during the meeting. (NNN)

The minister said that instead of seeking job elsewhere, working for ourselves is the best means to earn a livelihood.

The cocoon exhibition aimed to create awareness among the people about the job opportunities available in this field.

It may be mentioned that a total of 502 field operator units (FOU) have been opened in Imphal East district while the State Sericulture Department has agreed to provide larvae to those willing to have a farm. (NNN)

A preview meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Zoramthanga, according to an official source.

Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana said the NERCPA had been established in tune with the ‘Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’ formed by former colonies of the British Empire.

Speakers, Deputy Speakers and three MLAs each, besides concerned officials from the North East states, are expected to attend the four-day conference beginning May 27. Five MLAs are expected from Assam, which is the largest State in the region. The source said Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Rajya Sabha Secretary General VK Agnihotri have confirmed their participation. (UNI)