Tasks before Scindia

The two-day maiden visit of Jyotiraditya Scindia, the new Union Minister for Development of the North-Eastern Region (DoNER) and Communications, to the region last week was significant in several aspects. Though he visited only two states—Assam and Meghalaya—in his first trip, Scindia must have felt the pulse of the region through his discussions with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, two of the of the most dynamic leaders of the Northeast. Sangma has rightly highlighted the role of DoNER and NEC in future state initiatives, emphasizing inter-regional cooperation and developing agricultural logistics to empower farmers in Meghalaya. Sarma, on his part, highlighted several issues. These included improving digital infrastructure in Assam by augmenting penetration of 4G/5G and high-speed Internet services; creating a local skilled workforce to service telecom infrastructure; adopting the latest technologies to ensure quick restoration of networks in flood-hit areas; ensuring better coordination with the North Eastern Council; and speedy implementation of the DoNER schemes. Scindia, on his part, has declared that he will act as a facilitator to translate the aspirations of each state in the region into reality. He also said that while the budgetary outlay for the region has increased from Rs 24,000 crore to almost Rs 84,000 crore in the last decade, developments in the region’s infrastructure like roads, railways, and airports have received unprecedented attention. The Ministry for DoNER, it may be recalled, is responsible for matters relating to the planning, execution, and monitoring of development schemes and projects in the region. Its website says that the DoNER ministry’s vision is to accelerate the pace of the region’s socio-economic development so that it may enjoy growth parity with the rest of the country. It would be improper to expect anything grand from Scindia at this stage. Rather, the minister must first visit each of the eight states and hold a series of interactions with various categories of stakeholders. It will also be pertinent for the new minister to understand the historical perspective of the region, especially in the backdrop of the Partition of 1947, the unabated influx and democratic changes, the amazing biodiversity and the threats posed to it by various factors, natural calamities, and the burgeoning unemployment problem, among others.