China’s Interference Deprives State from Externally Aided Projects: Chowna Mein

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh is perhaps the only State in the Northeast which has been deprived of externally aided projects from the World Bank, ADB (Asian Development Bank) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) due to opposition from China, said Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said.

“This not only deprives the State of financial benefits but also of technical knowledge that comes with external aided projects besides being a big deterrent in our developmental activities,” Chowna Mein said while addressing the Himalayan Conclave at Mussoorie in Uttarakhand on Sunday, an official communique informed here on Monday.

The minister urged upon the 15th Finance Commission to make suitable recommendations for making alternative arrangements with regard to externally aided projects. Mein also said there is a need for deciding on a new institutional arrangement which recognizes the need of ‘special category’ States and provides for a weightage or a norm to enable compensatory transfers, keeping in view the declining trend of the share of statutory Finance Commission transfers vis-a-vis non-discretionary erstwhile Plan and Non-Plan transfers.

“Our request for accordance of special category status to all the States of Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) may be considered due to challenges being posed by Cost Disability factor, huge infrastructural deficit in the critical sectors, hilly terrain, hostile topography, migration from border areas and serious connectivity issues, etc,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also requested the 15th Finance Commission to take into account the factors concerning area, population, economic backwardness contingent on infrastructure deficit, inadequate financial inclusion of people at large, constraints in obtaining goods and services at economic rates, etc while fixing share of the States in Central taxes.

While pointing that Arunachal Pradesh has a quality forest cover of 82 per cent of the total area providing invaluable ecological services to the nation and the world as carbon sink, Mein said, however, this very asset has become a development disability for the State and its people.

“In the name of conservation of the forest for larger good, the local people are deprived of modern facilities of development as no compensation has yet been given to the State for this invaluable contribution,” he pointed out.

Mein added that the State has a stock of 148.52 tonnes of carbon stock per hectare which is highest in the country and its value is estimated to be about Rs 48,000 crore annually. The forest cover of the State requires due cognizance, which has been ensured in our suggested formula.

“The 14th Finance Commission had recognized this factor, but now, the earlier weightage is required to be enhanced in keeping with the economic implication arising from some denudation of the State’s forest cover and agricultural practices affecting the same,” the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out.

Mein said that the issues which are common to all Himalayan States need timely intervention from the 15th Finance Commission, while exuding hope that the genuine concerns will be looked into by the Commission and it will make appropriate and specific recommendations for the Himalayan States to the Centre.

Stating that one of the biggest challenges that the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) faces is the annual devastation of roads and other infrastructures caused by relentless monsoon, Mein pointed that the current norms of disaster relief under SDRF/NDRF guidelines are far too meagre to restore the damaged infrastructures.

“Our State has been unable to restore the rain damages that have been accumulating over the years. We are left with a mammoth task of restoring damages, which our State is unable to carry out due to its meagre resources,” he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister suggested that the scientific Vulnerability Index may be used to devolve funds among the IHR States, which are located in high seismic zone, highly vulnerable to earthquake and other natural disasters.

Talking about climate change, Mein said it is one of the most important global environmental challenges that affect all the natural ecosystems of the world. Due to the fragile environment, mountain ecosystems are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Climate change will not only threaten the biodiversity but also affect the socio-economic condition of the indigenous people of the State. He suggested holistic and integrated planning to tap the water resources of the North Eastern Region for optimum utilization, the communique added.

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