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Introduction
We the people of Northeastern India
have long been agonizing in an economic and cultural rut. Let’s put
our heads together to find ways to break out of it and usher in an
era of hope, progress and fulfillment.
The Northeast of India
The Northeast of India consists of the states of Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Flanked by hills and with the mighty Brahmaputra river slashing a
central path between its north and south, the Northeast is bounded
by the States of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura with
Assam comprising the heart. Arunachal Pradesh lies to its north and
Sikkim a little away in the North West bordering China and Bhutan.
Bangladesh and Myanmar lie to its southwest and east. The torrential
Brahmaputra deposits its rich alluvial silt along the banks of the
plains of Assam. Tropical rain forest, rich in flora and fauna,
spread their arms across Arunachal Pradesh into Assam. It is a land
where tea is an industry, handicrafts a major occupation and martial
arts a favored sport.
The region is the most enticing part of our country, with range
after range of high hills and deep vales, mighty rivers and
evergreen forests. With a landmass of 2,62,500 sq. km, it comprises
8 States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. These “Seven Sister” states have wide
variations in physical features, ranging from the plains of the
Brahmaputra to the highly dissected mountains of the eastern
Himalayas. The Himalayan range accounts for 65 percent of the
region, whereas the Brahmaputra valley covers 22 percent and the
Meghalaya plateau 13 percent of the area.
The Region has a total population of 39.04 million (according to
2001 census) which constitutes around 3.80 per cent of the country’s
population. Assam is the most populous state and accounts for about
70 per cent of the region’s population. The density of population
varies from 13 per sq.km. in Arunachal Pradesh to 340 per sq.km. in
Assam. The region is inhabited by more than 150 ethnic groups and
sub-groups, constituting almost 30% of the total population.
The socio-economic system in the region remained virtually untouched
during the British period. The tradition of self-governance
continued with the exclusion of extensive hill areas from the normal
administration. The establishment of tea gardens, with migrant
labour and creation of rail network to serve their commercial
interests, comprised practically the only major economic activities
in the region.
The partition of the country in 1947 further isolated an already
geo-politically sequestered Northeast. Ninety-eight percent of the
region’s borders faced foreign countries while the region remained
linked to the rest of India with a slender strip of 22 km, known as
the Siliguri corridor. The Partition adversely affected
intra-regional communication as much as communication with the rest
of the country. It unsettled the demographic pattern and ratios in
many parts of the region.
Despite its fertile land and rich in natural resources, the
Northeast lags behind the rest of the country in most indices of
socio-economic development, with the important exception of literacy
rate. The region’s economy continues to be predominantly agrarian. A
large number of people in the hills still follow the traditional
practice of shifting cultivation. The growth of infrastructure, both
social and physical, has not kept pace with the rest of the country,
leading to a widening of inter-class economic disparities. The per
capita income in the Northeast averages Rs. 12,918, compared to the
national average of Rs.17,823 (2001-2002 estimate).
The challenges to the economic development and social progress in
the Northeast stem mainly from this unique set of anomalies. Yet the
potential for the region’s economic growth and social progress is
enormous. Its abundant mineral deposits remain to be tapped. So do
its fabulously rich forest resources. Bordering almost entirely on
foreign countries, the region is uniquely suited for
multi-dimensional foreign trade, which can help perk up its economy
in a big way.
Societies, Cultures and Economic
Development
Taking stock of these manifold
challenges and possibilities is a critical first step toward
developing the right strategies for the economic uplift and the
invigoration of the social and cultural life of its people. The
Northeast is dedicated to studying these challenges and exploring
strategies to overcome them. It is forum for research, debate and
communication. Building on the previous research and collaborating
with existing institutions, The Northeast undertakes to promote
projects for inquiry into problems facing key facets of the region’s
economic and social life.
The Northeast will provide its
participants an intellectual environment in which to develop their
own work, coordinate with other researchers and working groups
through regular events in which they will present and discuss their
projects. In addition, there will be some thematic working groups
that will organize seminars, occasionally in collaboration with
academic institutions. The forum with host it own seminars, symposia
and conferences to review, debate and disseminate its projects.
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