The Special Plan Assistance (SPA) granted by the Planning Commission of India to the ENPO areas is a recognition of backwardness of the region, which comes too little too late. If this financial assistance is judiciously utilized and allocated in a crucial sector like road and transport it will immensely uplift the standard of the region.
The SPA should not be diluted with the routine work Programme of the State govt., but rather should be the special assistances to be concentrate solely for the work to develop the backwardness. If the assistance is diluted it will in no way serve the purpose of SPA. The SPA should be an additional channel to develop the economically backward regions. The half work done by the Govt should not be left to be finished from the fund of SPA. This is completely ridiculous. Suppose if SPA was not granted to these areas, then the ongoing works be stopped? It may be focus on areas where state Govt cannot cover in the normal work programme of the state. The fund should not be dictated by the whims and fancies of the state Govt in a haphazard manner, but should be utilized judiciously considering the gravity of backwardness, after all it is granted to the people not to the govt.
The road connecting the district headquarter, Sub-division and EAC Post is a Kacha road in the eastern sector and is no better than the road connecting villages and fields in the rest of the state. Neglecting 49 years of Statehood, the road is still in a pathetic condition, the lifeline of economic prosperity is at stake. Forget about NST bus and public transport, you cannot get even the robust old model Jeep and Gypsy for hire by Rs. 5000/- within 35 Km to ply the road. The road between the rural and urban areas is completely cut off especially during summer due to poor condition of the Kacha road. We cannot expect isolated people to be develop without basic infrastructure.
Therefore, I humbly appeal every right thinking citizens and particularly the eastern brothers to ponder over this issue, which will go a long way towards upliftment of the backward regions lest it may be pocketed in the hands of a few selfish persons.
A. Sayo Chang,
NU, Lumami, Zunheboto
