Addressing an election rally at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex here on Wednesday, Dr Singh listed out the success stories of the Congress-led UPA Government and claimed that the benefits of the various schemes being implemented by his government had percolated down to the people of Meghalaya.

"Congress alone can ensure that people of Meghalaya live up to their potential. Our party is the only national party that cares for Meghalaya as well as the North-East," Dr Singh said.

Claiming that it was only Congress that had been engaged in peaceful dialogue with disgruntled groups of the region, the Prime Minister said development required "peace, stability and security" and praised the people for attending the rally despite the bandh called by extremist elements.

"I am happy that in the last four years there has been a lot of progress in Meghalaya," Dr Singh said, adding under the Bharat Nirman programme 207 villages in Meghalaya had already been provided telephone connectivity, while mobile phone services were being expanded across the State.

The Prime Minister said the power sector was another area of attention in Meghalaya where the Leshka Hydro Electricity Project would be ready by December this year.

"Over a period of time, Meghalaya will be in a position to provide adequate power not only to its people but also sell it to other States," he added.

On the Information Technology sector, Dr Singh said the State Government had set up a Software Technology Park at Mawlai and that NASSCOM was being utilised to help secure IT jobs for skilled youth of the State.

"I see no reason why Shillong should not be developed into a major IT centre generating jobs and income for the people here," he said.

The Prime Minister also said the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, formulated by the UPA Government, would promote investment in Meghalaya and provide local youth with employment.

According to Dr Singh, 75,000 households of Meghalaya, under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, have been given 100-day employment and all the seven districts of the State will be covered under the Act from April next.

"Our UPA Government has enacted the NREG Act which provides assured employment of 100 days to all rural families. This was the promise of the Congress Party in 2004, and we have delivered on our promise," Dr Singh said.

He pointed out that it was the UPA Government which had set up Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RGIIM) and North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in the State.

Stating that about seven lakhs children of Meghalaya were getting free mid-day meal in schools, the Prime Minister said several new school buildings were built, teachers appointed and better facilities made available in the State under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

"Under National Rural Health Mission over 5000 women have been appointed as health workers for improvement of health care facilities in rural areas. I assure you that Meghalaya will be given due importance as we expand all these schemes," Dr Singh said.

The Prime Minister further said Congress would work to see that Shillong became a premier hill station in the country, adding funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) would be provided for planned development of the city.

Among those who spoke at the rally include Union Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah, Chief Minister DD Lapang and MPCC president OL Nongtdu.

The State Election Department, in a statement issued here, said the voters who failed to produce their EPICs, could vote after being identified through their photographs on the electoral rolls.

In case of voters who cannot be identified through their photographs on the electoral rolls will have to produce documents like passport, driving licence, PAN card, passbook for bank account opened till December 31, student ID card, arms licence, job card under NREGS and service ID for those serving in State and Central and other public sector undertakings.

SHILLONG: Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) president and Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has said that though people of Meghalaya follow a matrilineal society, empowerment of women is yet to take place in the State.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Mr Paswan said if LJP managed to come to power in the coming polls the party would work for empowerment of women in the State.

"As a positive step towards this goal (empowerment of women), party tickets for four out of the 18 seats to be contested by LJP has been allotted to women candidates," Mr Paswan said.

The party is also committed to addressing other important issues like unemployment, power crisis, deforestation, industrialisation and uplift of the health sector, he said.

"It is pretty sad to see that despite attaining statehood 36 years ago, Meghalaya has still remained underdeveloped due to poor infrastructure and slow growth of industries," Mr Paswan said.

The LJP chief stressed on setting up of industries for creating more jobs to tackle the problem of unemployment. He pointed also out that there was an urgent need to adopt adequate measures to check deforestation so that the climatic conditions did not deteriorate further in the State.

Asked on the importance of a rail link between Meghalaya and New Delhi, the Union minister said if road connectivity with New Dehli could be created, then there should not be any problem with a rail link for the State.

On the party's chances in the elections, Mr Paswan said his party would win at least six seats.

"With the prospect of a hung Assembly looming, LJP will play an important role in formation of the next government," Mr Paswan added.

Refuting charges that the party's presence was felt only during polls, he said LJP was actively pursuing development of the state. The LJP will be contesting 18 of the 60 seats.

The LJP president also addressed a public rally at Malki ground.

TURA: The younger brother of Congress minister Manirul Islam Sarkar has been arrested and sent to Tura jail for orchestrating an attack on the convoy of Independent candidate Abu Tahel Mondol during his recent visit to Chibinang area.

Mr Mondol's convoy came under attack from a group of suspected Congress workers led by the minister's brother Rohibul Islam Sarkar, who caused extensive damage to his vehicle by pelting stones at it.

The incident occurred during the visit of Union minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar for an election meeting at Phulbari last week.

The minister's brother, well known for all the wrong reasons in Phulbari area, was identified by Mr Mondol's supporters who were in the vehicle when the incident took place.

Rohibul Islam had been absconding since that incident but police officials managed to trace him out from Phulbari area on Monday afternoon and brought him to Tura under arrest. His lawyers moved for bail which was denied by the court. He has been forwarded under judicial custody to the district jail to spend time until the entire election process is over.

The arrest of the minister's brother has been welcomed by many from Phulbari. Opposition supporters alleged that he wielded both muscle and money power.

The signs of desperation in the Congress camp in Phulbari were evident as it is going to be a close contest between Manirul Islam Sarkar and former MLA AT Mondol and NCP's Sader Hussain.

SHILLONG: Normal life in the city and other parts of the State came to a grinding halt during the 12-hour HNLC-sponsored bandh called in protest against Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's State visit on Wednesday.

Educational institutions, shops and other business establishments downed their shutters and vehicular traffic was off the road during the dawn-to-dusk bandh. Thin attendance was recorded in most State and Central Government offices and financial institutions.

Children were seen playing cricket and riding on bicycles unlike normal days on the empty roads of the capital city.

Opposing any visits by "Indian leaders" to the State, banned HNLC warned the Central Government not to extract uranium in Meghalaya and accused New Delhi of not being serious about holding peace talks with the outfit.

UNI adds: Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Mukesh Singh said there had been no report of any untoward incident from any part of the State.

The bandh also cut off many northeastern states, including Mizoram, Tripura, parts of Assam and Manipur, from the rest of the country as National Highways- 40 and 44 were out of bounds.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya Margaret Alva told reporters that "some vested- interest parties" were trying to disrupt the Prime Minister's rally by calling bandh.

"I would like to thank the people for defying the bandh called by the militant outfit and coming out in large numbers to attend the rally."

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said one person was gunned down in Borato village of Jaintia Hills even as police officials rushed to the area to ascertain the incident.

"I have deputed a patrol party to ascertain the incident," SP Mr Singh told UNI over phone.

Shillong: In view of the ensuing Assembly election, the BSF troops deployed along the international border have been keeping extra vigil by increasing manpower in the border and installing special equipment to thwart any attempt by anti-national elements and Bangladeshis to enter into Indian territory.

As a result, troops posted at the Border Outpost (BOP) at Umsyiem and Pyrdiwah arrested five Bangladeshis on Tuesday while they were trying to crossover to India. One more Bangladeshi was arrested by the troops posted at the Kantipara BOP under the Tura Sector, the BSF informed here on Wednesday.

All the persons were handed over to the nearest police stations for necessary action.

The BSF said that the two were arrested while they were trying to shift the articles to be smuggled into a Maruti Alto (ML05 E 6963).

Bangladesh currencies along with foreign liquor, CDs and others, worth Rs 2,25,000, were seized from their possession.

Shillong: Former Chief Minister Evansius Kek Mawlong is locked in a tough contest with his Congress rival Stanley Wiss Rymbai in Umroi constituency.

Though the constituency is witnessing a six-cornered contest, this time round the main fight is between Mr Mawlong of UDP and Mr Rymbai. Umroi constituency has 25, 855 voters as per the latest electoral rolls.

Mr Mawlong had represented the constituency for four consecutive terms till 2003 when he was defeated by Mr Rymbai.

Talking to The ShillongTimes, several people of Umroi constituency indicated that poor health condition would severely affect the prospect of the former Chief Minister in this election.

"Though he is a veteran politician with his good experience, unfortunately his health condition and presence of new faces in the fray will be to the advantage of the sitting Congress legislator" said a voter from Umroi.

Another aspect pointed out by some voters is his failure to accomplish the works that he had initiated in the constituency during his stint as Chief Minister. Though, they did not specify the works left undone, the voters said that this will also make it harder for him to upset Mr Rymbai's applecart.

According to some people in the constituency, several bastions of Mr Mawlong have been divided between the various candidates especially those located in border areas between Meghalaya and Assam.

"If things do not change a repeat of the 2003 debacle is likely to happen to Mr Mawlong this time too" another voter from Bhoirymbong said.

However, there are a section of the electorate who felt that Mr Mawlong should be given a chance to prove his ability to serve the constituency given his leadership quality and the assets that he has regardless of his shortcomings.

Others are simply back runners and act as splitters the votes

Mr Mawlong also got his image reestablished just before the announcement of the election following the Gauhati High Court ruling in his favor in the Kolkata Meghalaya House scandal.

But there are also voters who believe that Mr Mawlong is likely to make a comeback this time round. The senior UDP leader was learnt to have been forced by the people of the constituency who were disappointed with the "poor performance" of the present incumbent.

However, despite the mixed reaction among voters, so far it appeared that Mr Rymbai is in a better position to retain the seat due to the presence of new contestants like Denington L Marbaniang (MDP) and Erwin K Sutnga (KHNAM) who will to a certain extent cut into the main strongholds of the former Chief Minister.

Shillong: Hitting back at Lyngkyrdem legislator Prestone Tynsong, the War Mihngi Youth Union (WMYU) has set one month deadline for the legislator to justify utilisation and implementation of MLA schemes and other public welfare schemes under his constituency, with all the facts and evidential documents.

If the MLA fails to produce proof of utilisation of the schemes, the Union threatened to approach the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the matter on getting all the relevant evidences against the legislator, a statement issued here on Wednesday said.

WMYU vice president Donlang L Nongbri stated that "Mr Tynsong is yet to produce relevant facts and figures regarding the implementation of the schemes before the public."

The union lambasted the MLA for lack of knowledge about implementation the MLA fund in his own constituencies. The legislator was also criticised for absence of transparency and accountability in his functioning.

The WMYU vice president also downplayed the legislator's threat that "the beneficiaries" of the MLA schemes will not be left unpunished.

He refuted the charge that the RTI was used as an election issue against Mr Tynsong while clarifying that the information was sought under the RTI Act since last year. But, due to delay on the part of the PIO, the information sought was made available only in February this year.

Mr Tynsong had earlier filed an FIR against WMYU members in this connection.

Meghalaya Tribal Welfare Association (MTWA) has strongly condemned the threats made by a few sitting legislators against NGOs or persons who exposed their unlawful deeds through the use of RTI Act.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, MTWA general secretary DH Warjri expressed resentment against the threat and intimidation by the concerned MLAs, which tantamount to violation of the model code of conduct and seemingly painted a picture that information gatherrd through the RTI Act is illegal.

Indirectly referring to Lyngkyrdem MLA Prestone Tynsong, who filed an FIR against members of the War Mihngi Youth Union for disclosing, through an RTI application, embezzlement of public money by Mr Tynsong under his constituency, Mr Warjri said "the NGOs or any individual are at liberty to seek information and raise objections through the RTI in respect of the various expenditures and purchases made by the respective MLA through the MLA schemes."

Mylliem MLA Pynshai Manik Syiem had also threatened to take legal action against those persons who claimed that he had swidled public money, based on an RTI filed by them in connection with implementation of MLA schemes under Mylliem constituency.

"Instead of replying and clarifying these objections, the MLAs threatened to take legal action and filed FIR against the public concerned," Mr Warjri pointed out.

He further said that an FIR or legal action were not necessary in this connection as "there is no such condition in the RTI Act, 2005 to file defamation case if the objection raised is not correct."

The RTI is like an audit objections raised against the Government servants of various departments to know the actual expenditures and also to detect the misappropriation of public money, if there be any, which is a punishable offence.

Shillong: Tribal students from Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday celebrated their traditional harvest festival - Nyokum-Yullo - with a ritualistic sacrifice of Mithun for the first time in Shillong.

The festival is celebrated to invoke the deities as thanksgiving for a bumper harvest and well-being of the tribe during the year.

Mithun occupies a significant place among the Nishis (a tribe in Arunachal Pradesh). The animal is sacrificed to invoke the gods as part of the Nyokum Yullo festival.

"We brought one Mithun from Arunachal for the festival this year," said one student at a press briefing here on Tuesday.

The year-old calf was sacrificed after Nyubus (priests) chanted traditional hymns all day long to appease the deities.

After the sacrifice, young girls attired in colourful traditional outfits and boys in further dotting horn-bill headgears, called Bopa in the local dialect, regaled the audience with dances and songs and narration of the Nishi customs and religion.

The three-day festival, Nyokum-Yullo festival starts each year on February 24 and culminates with animal sacrifices on February 26.

The word Nyokum-Yullo is derived from Nishi dialect and could be translated as 'Nyok' meaning 'Earth', 'Kum', 'togetherness' and 'Yullo' as 'festivities'.

As there were many Arunachalee students in Shillong, with the board and university examinations round the corner, the organisers decided to organise the festival here in Shillong for the benefit of everyone, said Tarh Atung, in-charge of the festival.

Mithun costs anything between 20 to 25 thousand rupees in Arunachal and is endemic to a few northeastern states, especially Arunachal Pradesh. The Mithun (Bos Frontails) is found both in the wild and semi-domesticated form in Arunachal Pradesh.

The animal has tremendous religious and socio-economic significance in the lives of the locals.

The animal is handed over as gifts during marriage ceremonies and festivals.

I take a serious objection to the Manmohan Singh government's policy to take long-term decisions on economic issues. This is because the parliamentary poll is scheduled for the next year. First, should the taxpayers' money be spent by a regime that looks increasingly shaky on advertising its achievements or non-achievements? If my information is correct the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, has already doled out Rs. 20 crore for this purpose.

Second, the UPA government should not have launched fanciful schemes for the so-called "down-trodden" involving a hefty sum of Rs. 65,000 crore. From where will the money come? For such schemes, obviously, the Reserve Bank was asked to print more currency notes. The implication is that the money earmarked for all such schemes has created inflationary pressure in the economy without any tangible benefits accruing to the targeted beneficiaries.

The government extravaganza has already pushed the economy in public debt. The increase in debt, in turn, leads to increase in interest charges, which has already become the largest single item of current expenditure of the government. In turn this in itself becomes cause of increase in fiscal deficit. The country has, thus, been already caught in the vicious circle of fiscal deficit, mounting debt, and rising interest payments. How rapidly interest payments are rising may be seen from the fact that these payments were only Rs. 36,695 crore (actual) in 2005-06. Two years later in the budget for 2007-08 these are put at Rs. 52,000 crore which means a whopping 47 per cent increase in two years time. Can this position be sustained for long without courting disaster? It is this which worries the World Bank. The Bank is not sure of the government being able to achieve the target set in the 2005-06 budget of reducing fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of GDP. But even if this was done, the deficit level will still remain high enough to constitute "a major threat to macro-economic stability," says the Bank report. The deficit will have to be reduced much further to stabilise interest payments by the Central government.

It has been argued in some quarters in India that a fiscal deficit in the range of 5 to 5.5 per cent of GDP is fiscally sustainable, that interest rate of 15 per cent does not matter because after discounting for inflation of around 5-10 per cent, the real interest rate turns out to be only 5 per cent which compares well with interest rates obtaining in the world financial markets and that public investments cannot be lowered for the sake of reducing fiscal deficit without doing immense harm to the economy and employment level. This argument is blatantly false and is the result of convoluted thinking.

There are a number of other issues which need to be mentioned briefly. One of them is the need of drawing the state governments into the framework of India's macro-economic reforms. Spreading these reforms to the states is a necessary precondition for changing the country's economic environment. The financial and institutional weaknesses at the state level have become a major constraint to the provision of infrastructure-transport, electricity, irrigation, education, etc., and social services. The whole system of states for funds to the Centre for development expenditure breeds inefficiency and irresponsibility in the use of funds.

Traditionally the states have looked to funds from the Central government as the solution of their financial problems. This discourages fiscal discipline and contributes to the rise in the fiscal deficit. The whole system needs a review to be put on sounder footings.

Yet another issue is the low rate of domestic investments obtaining in the Indian economy. Foreign investment is no substitute for real economic growth. Though the growth rate is comparable to the high performing Asian economies, public investments filling the gap is out of question because public savings are negligible and no surplus funds are available with the government for making long-term investment. It is to the private sector, both domestic and foreign, therefore, that the country will have to look to for raising the levels of investments substantially.

Recent changes in the policy framework provide ample scope for this needed private sector involvement, and private investors have expressed interest in participating in this effort. But before that interest is translated into actual capital formation it will be necessary for the authorities to address a number of specific legal regulatory and administrative issues that are inhibiting such investments. At the same time, the country has to devise a strategy for managing capital inflows into the economy from abroad.

The basic long term strategy for managing capital inflows should be to increase the economy's capacity to absorb and allocate them efficiently to high return investments through market based mechanism. Short-term inflows of capital, particularly portfolio investments, is however, a different matter which requires separate treatment. With our foreign currency reserves at $262 billion, there is no imminent danger of the country becoming subject to a foreign exchange crisis caused by panic withdrawal of their short-term investments by foreign investors. But care has to be exercised in the management of short-term capital inflows.

There is an urgent need of appreciable improvement in public savings, now practically negligible or even negative. This calls for not only appreciable improvement in the performance of public sector enterprises as suggested above but also a far more efficient management of the fiscal sector than has been the case in the last three years.

This last one is the key issue of public policy today that needs to be faced squarely and boldly by the government. There is a need for a sharp cut in India's fiscal deficit and a big improvement in its public saving which holds the key to attaining higher rates of economic growth and affecting significant improvement in living standards. At present, growth of the Indian economy is being led by strong performance of the external sector of the economy. The impulse for growth is coming more from that sector than from domestic sector.

This position cannot be maintained indefinitely. It is in danger of being scuttled if immediate attention is not paid to correcting fiscal imbalances that have been getting out of control since 2004-05. For, failure to correct fiscal imbalances, would complicate and ultimately undermine external sector policies. It follows, therefore, that the most important issue in current economic management in India is improving appreciably and urgently public savings and reducing the fiscal deficit. India's private (household) saving rate compares well with East Asian economies but its public savings rate has been much worse and has been deteriorating. In view of such harsh realities, Manmohan Singh government has no business to overload the economy with the extra-baggage of wasteful expenditure. Hopefully, these issues will be addressed in budget 2008-09. INAV

Crisis after crisis in the world economy through the decades have overtaken the International Monetary Fund, the post-war institution created in 1944 to become guardian of the international financial system promoting exchange rate stability and orderly growth of output, trade and employment. Though after every financial upset, IMF admittedly put itself at the learning curve, drawing lessons, it has not till today proved itself effective in crisis prevention or its management in most cases. The classic example is the ongoing global economic slump brought about by financial market turmoils of 2007 originating in USA’s sub-prime mortgage market, which has already led to huge write-downs by financial institutions.

IMF did take note of the instability in financial markets in mid-2007 but it could hardly foresee the magnitude of a meltdown spread over advanced countries nor the destabilizing consequences for the world economy whose expansionary phase since 2003,the Fund assumed, would continue into 2008. IMF is now caught up with the sharp slowdown in the last quarter of 2007 in USA and moderating growth elsewhere. This is essentially a crisis in the developed nations holding the directional power over IMF whose surveillance of economies had till recently been asymmetrical.

The Fund had never wavered in advocating strict fiscal discipline and market opening for the developing member-countries, even at the cost of social unrest and street eruptions in many crisis-hit countries in the past. It is only in recent years that IMF began to take serious note of the build-up of global imbalances, again emanating principally from the US current account deficit of around 800 billion dollars a year, and initiated multilateral consultations. No doubt, IMF has strengthened its surveillance mechanism including exchange rates and says it would be more even-handed as between nations.

Taking advantage of the dynamism of emerging economies, notably China and other fast growing countries like India, many of which are building up reserves, IMF now urges that since they have benefited from global trade and capital flows, they should become part of solutions to global growth and financial imbalances. They are asked to generate more domestic demand without becoming overly dependent on exports and make their exchange rates more flexible to reduce imbalances between surplus and deficit countries over time.

Though on January 25 revised down world and country growth rates for 2008, there are growing uncertainties about the depth of the downturn as the weakness in US housing sector intensifies and business and consumer confidence is declining. The world’s largest economy may be already in a recession, according to leading economists. It is, therefore, that the international financial institutions like IMF are pinning their expectations for averting a global depression on the role of emerging economies, especially China and India, which have contributed to more than one-third of global growth over the last two years.

Warnings have come from IMF that no country is immune to the macro-economic effects of the financial market crisis and therefore a "co-operative approach" among nations is advocated to secure stability and growth. That the financial markets would not settle down in the near future is clear from the credit defaults and losses reported increasingly by financial institutions. One estimate puts the total loss from the sub-prime market crisis at 400 billion dollars. Many banks have to raise their capital to make up for losses and reassure investors.

Excessive risks and weakening of lending standards and failures of supervisory and regulatory frameworks over new entities in the markets facilitated by financial globalisation are all now being laid threadbare after the damage is done. IMF has backed what US Fed and other central banks have done to provide liquidity and ease monetary policies and have welcomed the 125 basis points cut in US interest rates and the 165 billion dollar economic stimulus package of the Bush Administration and Congress. But it is uncertain whether this by itself would revive the economy for the rest of the year and beyond

At the same time, the world is faced with persistence of inflation both in developed countries (US and EU) as well as in emerging economies like China and India where growth has remained strong but inflationary pressures are developing, mainly from rising world prices of oil, food and other commodities. It would take perhaps several months before the consequences of financial market turbulence are played out. Meanwhile, IMF urges emerging market economies to sustain domestic growth, keeping inflation under control and help the world economy to grow.

IMF Managing Director M. Dominique Strauss-Kahn in a speech in New Delhi on February 13, talked of lessons from the global crisis, which began as a problem in a single sector (housing) in a single economy (USA), from which no regions are immune. In his view, the effects of the present global crisis would be felt in emerging economies sooner rather than later". Nor does he agree with those who contend that emerging economies like China and India have de-coupled from industrial economies. Strong growth of these economies, especially India, according to him, is based on gains from trade and financial integration in global economy.

In a clear departure from past policies, Mr Strauss-Kahn has now put forward IMF’s new thinking that for the world economy to be restored to stable growth, monetary easing should be supplemented by fiscal policy to stimulate economy with "timely, temporary and targeted" measures which would support private consumption and boost demand. This is something Finance Minister Mr Chidambaram seems willing to do to some extent whether through the budget or later if the global situation worsens further. But IMF does not at present include India in the category of emerging economies, which have scope for fiscal stimulus, like China or Russia. IMF has also endorsed the current RBI monetary stance of giving greater weight to inflation expectations.

Citing reasons for emerging economies to act to forestall the spillover effects, the IMF Chief says their exports to US and Europe would suffer otherwise and there could be reversal of capital inflows for India, which has experienced large capital inflows since the sub-prime crisis, if there is general retreat from risk by global investors. In suggesting appropriate use of both monetary and fiscal policies by countries according to their circumstances, Mr Kahn indirectly made an exception for India where, he said, growth is already very high (even if it moderates to 8 per cent) public debt still high while medium term fiscal consolidation remains a priority.

Finally, the IMF Chief acknowledged that while the Fund did warn the world about the crisis in its Global Financial Stability Report in April and October, "perhaps we did not warn forcefully enough. We, like many others, did not foresee just how the turmoil would spread". Now, the Fund, he said, would have to pay more attention to the links between the real economy and financial markets and assess the implications of the linkages between the two. One has to wait and see how far the proposed reforms he referred to go to ensure effective voice and greater representation for emerging economies to enhance the legitimacy and relevance of the IMF. (IRL-IPA )

Sir,

The recent visit of Mrs Sonia Gandhi to Jowai and Tura on February 23 to garner votes for the Congress party has definitely drawn a large number of people to the venues. What is ironic is in the real motive and magnetic touch of the meeting that drew these people to the venue. Through an interaction with some of the Jaintia people in Jowai who waited for hours for the meeting to commence it emerged that a majority of them had gone there just to get a glimpse of Mrs Gandhi who looked spectacular in the traditional Pnar outfit and not to listen to what she has to deliver in her speech. In actuality they gathered there to get a chance to see their very own Amit Paul. That was their priority. They were indeed very thankful to the Congress who roped in Amit Paul to perform at their meetings as one of their strategies to draw the general populace. To quote an elderly woman, "it was indeed after a long time that I could once again see Amit Paul live and so close."

Firstly, they were not concerned about the meeting and even if they were at a loss to hear Mrs Gandhi yelling and crooning at the top of her voice in English with no interpreter to pass down her message. It has always been an assumption that once a person speaks in English he or she is understood by one and all. It would have been more fruitful and it would have made a lot of difference if there had been an interpreter in the dialect of the people of the place. My grandmother told me that even during the struggle for statehood there used to be an interpreter if the speaker happened to speak in English. But those were the days where politics was taken seriously and strictly for the benefit and well being of the people. Today anything and everything is done for self-benefit. Hence the difference!

Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar
Shillong - 4.
Via e-mail

Sir,

The North Eastern Council (NEC), founded in 1972 to speedup the developmental activities in the country's most neglected and backward region, has failed to prove its worth even after two decades of its existence. In fact, NEC's gigantic secretariat at Shillong has become a white elephant functioning like a moribund government department where official lethargy, red-tapism, bureaucracy and corruption are at their peaks. Almost all the developmental projects undertaken by the NEC so far have been delayed inordinately, resulting in cost escalation and unnecessary deprivation and suffering to the people. The process of project survey, estimation, administrative and financial approval/sanction, work execution in the NEC secretariat is a tediously lethargic and time consuming affair, resulting in inordinate delay in project completion. Therefore, the dissolution of the NEC and direct funding of the developmental projects to the concerned state governments is justifiable to avoid the unnecessary delay and bureaucratic mess.

The one instance out of many inordinately delayed projects is the "Improvement of Dhodar-Ali under, NEC Plan" approved by the Home Ministry (Planning Commission), Government of India, in March 1988, and so far hardly 50 per cent of the work has been completed.

For such a mess both the NEC and the state government of Assam are to be blamed resulting in unnecessary sufferings to the people. NEC is deterring the developmental activities instead of boosting them.

Will the Ministry of Home Affairs (Planning Commission), government of India and the State Government of Assam review the functioning of NEC? We suggest to dissolve the NEC, and advocate for direct funding of development projects to the concerned states to avoid unnecessary delay and suffering to the people in the interest of the general public,

Yours etc.,
NK Gogoi, D Phukan & others
Golaghat - 21

In a state, where there is no industry worth naming and no economy other than the government offices, the number of crorepatis are surprisingly quite high.

According to the information provided by Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland C J Pomraj, asset details of 217 candidates are available with them and topping the list is Mr S I Jamir, brother of former Chief Minister S C Jamir.

The NPF are the leaders of the crorepati gang. They have 13 crorepatis while Congress eight in this highly exclusive list. Mr S I Jamir has cash and properties worth little over Rs 30 crore in his name. That included agricultural land worth Rs 25 crore and buildings worth Rs 5 crore. He has a modest bank deposit of Rs 40 thousand. (UNI)

Addressing the party's election rally at the local ground at Kohima in Nagaland, Singh criticised the erstwhile Neiphiu Rio led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government for failing to deliver in development fronts and emphasises that the people on Nagaland should opt for change of power in their State and Congress was the only alternative for it.

Singh promised a peaceful and prosperous Nagaland and said, "It is the peace that will lead to sustained development in Nagaland and Congress is committed for it."

Flaying the Nagaland People's Front (NPF) led DAN Government for 'downplaying the tribal issues', Singh said Congress was the only party which cared for development of all ethnic groups while protecting their unique identity and culture.

Elections will be held to Nagaland Assembly will be held on March 5 under tight security and President's Rule.

The election in the hill state that has been witness to very sluggish progress in the peace-talks between the Government of India and the NSCN(IM), will be mainly fought between the NPF and Congress.

Imphal: Unidentified militants on Wednesday hurled a powerful grenade at the house of Manipur Revenue minister TH Debendra Singh in Imphal East district.

However, no casualty was reported in the attack on minister's private residence, official sources said.

Two militants came on a two-wheeler before Singh's house at Khurai Lairikyengbam area near here at around one p.m and hurled the grenade.

The Congress MLA was not present at the time of incident as he stayed at the official residence at VIP Babupara area.

The militants escaped towards nearby Lamlong area.

This was the fifth attack on the private house of a Congress legislator, Earlier militants had attacked the private houses of Congress MLAs-I Hemochandra, T Mangibab, M Manindr and K Govindas- in past two weeks. (PTI)