The importance of PSUs in Manipur

RS Jassal *

Of late, there has been much talk about the potential of India's Look East Policy in transforming the region. The inclusion of the Northeast as an important component of this policy in 2003 is dubbed as the new paradigm of development in the Northeast development perspectives. The policy envisages the region not as the periphery of India, but as a-to-be the centre of a thriving and integrated economic space.

Thus, it is seen as an excellent opportunity to integrate not only with Indian mainland economy but also with India's neighbouring countries and even beyond. Within the overall framework of development of the Northeastern region through the Look East policy; Moreh becomes the nodal point with Manipur becoming epicenter of trade & outward link with SE Asian countries.

Hence a big central Integrated Check post with modern facilities and gadgets on international pattern to conduct the volume of trade and handling of foreign relations with neighbour Myanmar in particular is coming up who is facing similar problems of insurgency & ethnicity revivalism with variety of people alike Manipur governed by physio-geographicals.

A word back to understand the role Manipur is going to play as a vibrant strong link State of India with SE Asian countries is, the focus on economic content of international relations, emergence of regional economic groupings, forces of globalisation, frustration and slow process of economic integration within South Asia and China's growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region are inter influencing which apparently gave India a rethink in its strategic shift in the basic parameters of its foreign policy.

So to acquaint you with background & development leading to present position I wish to add that due to its sustained efforts to forge cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner in March 1993, a Full Dialogue Partner in 1995, and ultimately a member of the ASEAN Regional Forums in July 1996. Finally it became a party to a Summit Level Partnership in 2002. The second phase, which began in 2003, got more comprehensive in its coverage, extending from Australia to East Asia, with ASEAN as its core.

The new phase marks a shift in focus from TRADE TO WIDER ECONOMIC AND SECURITY COOPERATION, POLITICAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND PHYSICAL CONNECTIVITY THROUGH ROAD AND RAIL LINKAGE. Thus, India-ASEAN cooperation now covers broader fields including trade and investment, science and technology, tourism and human resource development, transportation and infrastructure, to say the least health and pharmaceuticals. India signed "Long Term Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" with ASEAN, which is the corner stone of India's Look East policy.

India prefers to use the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as a model for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), because of its comprehensive coverage of goods and services trade and investment. India believes that its economic strength lies in the service sector in that service trade is as important as trade in goods. India finally signed the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) with the ten members of ASEAN in August 2009. Wither Manipur!!

With this background, and Manipur vision to hold centre stage to channelise the looked East economies to its advantage & to act as bridge for socio-cultural & peace dividends to mainland India sub continent, the State needs special emphasis to have—
(a) Good communications—air, road and rail connectivity
(b) Good waterways connectivity through Silchar
(c) Effective awareness on accessibility to Law both of national and international levels and understanding the importance of Pacts & treaties.

The subject allotted to me is to speak on 'The importance of public Service Undertakings in Manipur'. Thus though road transport, air, rail, waterways, postal services all form part of public services but for paucity of time & dealing of the subject, I will restrict myself to the road transport undertaking only. Road and transport are interconnected for communication in linking people & Government in conduct of trade traditionally. That is why any State will always endeavor to provide good road communication to linking people & trade both inward & outward.

Roads

As everyone is aware of the fact Manipur is having three NHs :
a) NH - 39—linking Imphal with Assam at Numlighat at NH - 37—with main HW
b) NH - 53—linking with Silchar( Cachar- Assam) at Panchgram with NHs of Mizoram-Tripura and Assam hub of business trade & commerce at Guwahati through Meghalaya almost all hilly tract
c) NH - 150—Jessami to Ukhrul, Imphal Churachandpur—Thanlon (so far)

In view of the fast track developments in implementation of Look Easy Policy, for quick & uninterrupted move of heavy machinery and stores NH 39 needs doing up in all respects at fast speed to bring it at par with international standards. NH - 53 improvement is linked with the speed & pace at which rail link will be progressing. And it is going to assume greater importance in new visuals.

Another road from Jiribam—along Man Bahadur road —to Parbung-Langthulien-Tipaimukh to Sajik Tampak- New Samtal-Moreh is recommended to be repaired, maintained up to Tipaimukh and new construction from Tipaimukh to Moreh as aforesaid. With these roads fully functional Manipur will be able to handle trade load Moreh to Imphal-Kohima-Dimapur, Moreh to Aizwal via Tipaimukh, Jiribam-Silchar-Dhaka-Kolkata very effectively & smoothly in short circuits even may be avoiding Guwahati in certain cases since AIFTA is already signed and neighbouring countries are bound in obligation.

Besides roads, Manipur needs to revive its MSRTC, add more teeth to its fleet and increase manpower to handle communications & trade with strong state control any maybe a loose involvement of private players. I was here in Manipur in 1968-69 as Captain with HQ Manipur Range, Assam Rifles (now known as 9 sector).

The MSRTC was seen functioning as efficient transport agency with its own buses and freight carriers covering distances to Dimapur & Guwahati without break. Many a times till 1980, the Assam Rifles also used to engage their buses & freight carriers. It had its own functional repairing and mechanical workshop at Mantripukhri. How & why this finest public undertaking failed is not within the preview of my talk but I can give its latest position as follows :-
a) Faced with lingering performance and incurring progressive financial losses MSRTC was placed under liquidation by the State Government wef 01.11.2003
b) No employee was retired under the VRS Scheme. However 225 Corporation employees were given retrenchment by giving retrenchment benefits.
c) Before liquidation of the MSRTC there were 225 Corporation employees and 40 State Govt employees ie 265 in total and on date of liquidation of the MSRTC there were 17 buses; 12 trucks and one gypsy. As on date there are 7(seven) repatriated employees ie One Steno Gr-II; 1 Mech Gr-III (Jr) ; One Conductor; two Cleaner; One gate keeper and one Chowkidar

A. Under National Highway Accident Relief Service :

through the grant as gift by the Ministry of Transport & Highways, Govt of India has given a 17 Ton Crane costing Rs 25 lacs during June 2002 and another crane of 10 ton capacity a bit later. Both are now stationed at MSRTC Complex, Moirangkhom for use on both the National Highways ie, NH-39 and NH-53 for evacuation/recovery of accidented /broken vehicles. Under the same scheme, two bedded Matador Ambulances have also been provided and same have been delivered to the Manipur Truck Owners' Welfare Association, MG Avenue, Imphal. It is learnt two accident Trauma management hospitals one each for NH 39 & NH 53 may also be sanctioned anytime.

B. Driving School : Vehicle population of Manipur as per latest available record is 1,34,000. This population is ever on the increase. So only two Driving schools that too privately run one in Imphal East & one in Imphal West appear to be inadequate. For better achievement in accident free communication we need well trained drivers. Till now no Govt Driving Training school has been opened in the state in spite of requirement of the same. Considering all the data, concerns of the Central Government and likely impact of Look East Policy vision on Manipur I strongly emphasise that State Transport Department needs strengthening in a big way.

I do not say Govt had no difficulty in running MSRTC or no reason compelled it for its liquidation, I feel sad as a concerned citizen on its closure. I wonder how as Govt or as people we can take pride in not seeing our State symbol running in other sister State territories when Assam State Road Corporation, Meghalaya State Roadways, Nagaland State Transport symbols running dazzling in front of our eyes. We are loosing pride as people when seeing our state transports is not running its own buses.

Moreover it is Govt's basic duty to provide & own communications. What is the State? It has four basic functions to attend to : Defense, order, security and freedom. Fast, secured and efficient communications play vital role in providing order & security to the people & State. It will lead to achieve eco tourism target too. Mind you, Thailand's tourism industry as on 2007-08 generated 5,47,782 million Thai 'Baht' adding to 6.7% of the nations GDP. Our State can equally do well in this sector with efficient transport system.

Under Jawaharlal Nehru Renewal Mission our State is getting 25 semi-low floored buses to run within Imphal Municipal Limits within June. Are we prepared for that without strong vibrant & efficient State Transport Policy? Yes, we can since I am having full faith in the State transport Agency presently under expert hands of Director, Sh. BK Sharma, Tpt Commissioner, Sh. H. Imocha Singh and able guidance of Sh. L. Jayanta Kumar, H'ble Minister for Transport all under the dynamic leadership of seasoned political stalwart Sh. Ibobi Singh, the H'ble CM—a man of action. Thank you all for listening to me with apt attention.