Imphal, November 17: Along with preparing a road map for East-West corridor to connect the entire North East region, the North Eastern Council (NEC) has taken up steps for opening a common market for economic activities of the region under an umbrella body, Secretary of NEC RK Phalguni has informed.

Talking to mediapersons at the conference hall of Old Secretariat today, Phalguni, who arrived here to review NEC-funded projects and schemes being taken up in the State, said that road map had been prepared by experts at New Delhi in 2003 and the estimated cost of the whole project is Rs 18,000 crores.

Moreover, as the impact of globalization in the region cannot be faced by an individual State alone, NEC has taken up steps to open a common market for some selected items under an umbrella body, the Secretary said.

While informing that in all 12 private airlines are contending for the proposal of starting an exclusive airline service for the region next year, Phalguni said the final selection of the firm for operating the service would be decided in last week of the current month.

The Vision Document, 2020 that has been prepared by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy with support from NEC would be able to usher in a new era of hope and development, he said, adding that public hearings on the Vision Document is being conducted and the opinion of the State Govts concerned have been sought.

In response to a question, the NEC Secretary informed that Inter-Ministerial discussion on the Vision Document would also be conducted and it would be very beneficial specially during the 12th and 13th Plan period.

On progress of projects and schemes being taken up under NEC-funding in Manipur, Phalguni, who is a native of the State, said utilisation certificates of 60 percent of the projects and schemes have been submitted so far.

�I have also given suggestion to the State Government for seeking more developmental fund�, he added.

To another question, the NEC Secretary admitted that Manipur is a resource starved State, yet it has not been able to get more fund from the NEC.

However, there is more scope for development in the State.

So the State Government needs to be little more aggressive in its approach to the NEC and the Centre for development fund, he said.

In view of difficulties being faced in monitoring progress of the projects/schemes on the basis of submission of utilisation certificates, NEC has made necessary arrangement for inspection of the projects/schemes by a third party apart from deputing one officer in each of the States concerned for the purpose, Phalguni disclosed.

He also informed that NEC would stop releasing fund in favour of just one individual State.

However, if the project or the scheme is to benefit two or more States, then NEC is ready to extend necessary funding.

NEC would be providing financial aid to MMTA for installing modern equipments because of its potential, he added.

It is said that during the 10th Plan, NEC had provided a total sum of Rs 200 crores to the State and Rs 194.57 crores to RIMS and other Central Departments/agencies.

Deputy Financial Advisory of NEC DK Hangso, who was also present at the occasion explained about the various projects and schemes to be taken up in the State during the 11th Plan.

These include popularisation of multiple cropping (Rs 340.35 lakhs), expansion of Mao potato farm (Rs 600 lakhs), setting up a 100 metric tonne capacity livestock feed plant at Thoubal district (Rs 450 lakhs), adoption of 1100 families settling around Loktak lake by supplying two milch cows each for rearing (Rs 440 lakhs), setting up Mithun Breeding Centres in all the hill districts (Rs 60 lakhs), establishment of a cold storage at Imphal (Rs 400 lakhs), etc.

Construction of a 3-star hotel under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode at an estimated cost of Rs 500 lakhs at Imphal and development of an integrated tourist circuit from Imphal to Moirang at an estimated cost of Rs 800 are also among the projects to be taken up by NEC for development of tourism sector in the State.

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