problems of border areas in north east india

375 Pages·2009·6.5 MB·English

Project Report
on
PROBLEMS OF BORDER AREAS
IN NORTH EAST INDIA : IMPLICATIONS
FOR THE THIRTEENTH FINANCE COMMISSION
Sponsored by :
THE THIRTEENTH FINANCE COMMISSION
Government of India, New Delhi
Compiled & Submitted by :
Prof. J.K. Gogoi
Prof. H. Goswami
Prof. K. C. Borah
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY
DIBRUGARH 786 004
ASSAM
2009
CONTENTS
Page
1. Acknowledgement
2. Consolidated Report ..... ....
3. Detailed Reports of the States
(a)Arunachal Pradesh
Part I ..... .... 23
Part II ..... .... 65
(b)Assam
Part I ..... .... 81
Part II ..... .... 115
Part III ..... .... 151
(c)Manipur ..... .... 161
(d)Meghalaya ..... .... 197
(e)Mizoram ..... .... 247
(f) Nagaland ..... .... 289
(g)Sikkim ..... .... 313
(h)Tripura ..... .... 347
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`
Acknowledgement
We are thankful to the Thirteenth Finance Commission, Government of India, New
Delhi for sponsoring the research project on the Problems of Border Areas in North East
India: Implications for Thirteenth Finance Commission, and entrusting the Department of
Economics, Dibrugarh University the responsibility of consolidating the reports sepa-
rately prepared for different segments of border areas of the North East India by 10 uni-
versities of the region including the IIT Guwahati.
Professor Atul Sarma, the honourable member of the TFC has taken extraordinary
care for timely comletion of the project. We are extremely grateful to him.
We are also thankful to the various research teams from other Universities, includ-
ing the IITG, of the North East for timely submission of the reports to us for consolidation
and submission to the TFC, the sponsor.
J.K.Gogoi
Department of Economics
Dibrugarh University
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Consolidated Report
Contents
Page
Introduction 5
Objectives of the Study & Methodology 6
Arunachal Pradesh 7
Assam 10
Manipur 13
Meghalaya 16
Mizoram 17
Nagaland 19
Sikkim 20
Tripura 23
PROBLEMS OF BORDER AREAS IN NORTH EAST INDIA:
IMPLICATIONS FOR THIRTEENTH FINANCE COMMISSION
(CONSOLIDATED REPORT)
Introduction:
Border areas have their own problems and peculiarities. Such areas are in general less
accessible, making provision of basic facilities more difficult and costly. Such areas are often
more vulnerable to illegal infiltration of population, which adds pressure on their economic and
environmental resources. Moreover, porous nature of the border enables easy cross border passage
for insurgents and criminals including drug traffickers. Thus, governments of the states with
international border are required to bear heavier burden for not only providing basic facilities to the
people living in such areas but also for the broader national goal of securing the border.
The Northeast region with 99 per cent of its boundary being international border, the problems
and peculiarities are even more accentuated. The region consists of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. The region is located between
latitudes 290 and 220 North and longitudes about 89.46 and 97.5/ East. The region is covering an
area of 262185 sq. km, which is nearly 8 per cent of the total geographical area of the country. The
region has a population of 389.84 lakh that is 3.79 per cent of the total population of India. The
region has a vast coverage of forest nearly 55 per cent of the total geographical area. The States
of the region are surrounded by China, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. In fact, the region has
a long international border of (5182 km), which is more than 99 percent of its total geographical
boundary. These States have international border with China (1395 km), Bhutan (455 km), Myanmar
(1640 km), Bangladesh (1596 km) and Nepal (97 km). On the other hand the region is connected
with the mainland India through a very narrow strip of land with the width of about 22 km called
‘chicken neck’. The region is best known for its picturesque topography, cultural heritage, ethnic
beauty and rich natural resources. The region has rich bio diversity, oil and natural gas, coal,
limestone, hydro potential and forest wealth. Given the peculiar geo-political location, the region
can develop cross-border markets, which are likely to be more cost effective for North East India’s
surplus production than the distant national markets. The region is famous for its exotic flora and
fauna. It is ideally situated to produce spices, fruit & vegetables, flowers and herbs. Therefore, the
North East India can emerge as an exporter of orchids, flowers, apple, orange, pineapples, spices,
herbs, etc. to the South East Asian Region. The vast array of aromatic plants of the region can be
used in aromatic industry for the manufacture of perfumes, incenses, etc. Rich bio-diversity,
heritage sites & ethnic beauty can make it a destination for the tourists. Several big & small rivers
flowing across this region are suitable to construct hydro projects to generate electricity. Moreover,
owing to climatic advantage the region can also be a major producer and exporter of tea.
In spite of resourcefulness the entire region is regarded as underdeveloped. The
remoteness, difficult terrain, infrastructural bottlenecks and unfriendly neighbors are the serious
impediments of the development of the region. Being a border area, the region is suffering from
specific problems like illegal cross-border movements, law and order, security, insurgency,
smuggling etc.
In this age of globalization and increased international cooperation, however, border areas
also signify some new opportunities. Such opportunities are believed to be immense for Northeast
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India due to its geographical proximity to the prosperous East and Southeast Asian economies.
However preparing the region to exploit such opportunities also first requires investment in the
necessary infrastructure.
While the need for additional resources for states with international border may be easily
understood, the fixation of quantum of such additional resource flows needs further investigation
and estimation. Accordingly a comprehensive study of the border areas of the country falling in the
Northeast region is made under the sponsorship of the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC) of
Government of India.
The topography, accessibility, climate, altitude, population density, ethnicity, levels of
development, the relationships with the border countries etc. of the entire border region of the
North East widely vary. Therefore, the development strategy for different border segments will be
different. For example, the development strategy of border areas of Arunachal Pradesh with China
will be different from Assam’s border with Bangladesh. Besides the problems of development,
different border segments have different social problems such as incursion, infiltration, migration,
smuggling, drug trafficking, AIDS etc. Therefore, different segments of border have been studied
by different research teams, which have been presented in this report in consolidated form.
Objectives of the Study:
The specific objectives of the study are-
1. To find out whether the border districts face any disadvantages compared to other districts
of a particular border state in terms of status of infrastructure, both physical and social
which may lead to higher unit cost of service provisioning.
2. If such disadvantages exist then-
(a) What are the problems in tackling these disadvantages under the existing State/
Central Government schemes,
(b) To find out whether there is need for special dispensation for overcoming these
disadvantages of border districts, if they exist.
Methodology:
The study is based primarily on secondary data collected from District Headquarters,
Census Reports and other relevant documents. These data are supplemented by primary data
collected through village schedule surveys and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). FGDs were
organised by involving persons like prominent local residents, politicians, academic, administrators,
various development and social activists, Panchyat representatives, security personnel, traders,
contractors, businessmen, village heads, women organisation, NGOs etc.
In selecting the border blocks for the collection of primary data both random and purposive
sampling techniques are followed. Out of 136 Border Blocks in the eight States of the region 15
Blocks (11 per cent) were purposively selected for field investigations. Because of the vastness of
the border area, the research work was distributed among 10 Research Teams from 10 higher
educational institutions of the region. Each Research Team has selected the sample border Blocks
from the area convenient to it. The number of sample Blocks of different border areas selected by
different Teams has been presented in Table – 1.
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Table – 1
Allocation of Sample Blocks among Institute and Universities of North East India
Research Team/Institute/ Universities
Gauhati
Border Dibrugarh Rajib
University Manipur Mizoram Sikkim Tripura Assam
Countries University Gandhi NEHU Total
and IIT, University University University University University
University
Guwahati
China 1 - 3 - - - - - - 4
Bangladesh - 1 - 1 - - - 2 1 4
Bhutan - 1 - - - - 1 - - 2
Myanmar 1 - - - 2 1 - - - 4
Nepal - - - - - - 1 - - 1
For maintaining uniformity in the research methodology and design, a central workshop
was arranged at IIT, Guwahati on 13th September 2008, which was attended by all members of
different Research Teams including representatives from the Thirteenth Finance Commission,
New Delhi.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH:
Two Research Teams, one from the Rajiv Gandhi University and the other from the Dibrugarh
University have studied the problems of border areas of Arunachal Pradesh. For intensive study,
both the teams have purposively selected three districts, viz., Tawang, Anjaw and Changlang and
four border Blocks from these Districts have again purposively selected for the present study.
Altogether 20 villages from 4 Development Blocks from the three sample Districts have been
selected for the collection of data through village schedules and Focus Group Discussions FGDs).
Socio-economic Profile of the Border Area of Arunachal Pradesh:
The population density of the border Districts of the State is extremely low ranging from 4
(Anjaw District and Dibang Valley) to 43 (Tirap District) against the State average of 13 as per
2001 Census Report. The percentage of area under forests in the border area of Arunachal Pradesh
is as high as 78. The average life expectancy of the people of the border Districts of Arunachal
Pradesh is 50.44 against the State average of 54.05. The average literacy rate of the border area
is 48.17 against the State average of 54.3. The workforce rate participation rate in the border
District is 48.64 that is relatively better than the State average of 43.98. The average number of
schools is 21.47, PHCs and Sub-PHCs is 9.35, doctors are 4.19 and hospital beds are 20.85 per
10,000 population. The percentage of household having tap water facility within the premises is
26.64 that are almost equal to State average.
The road density of the border Districts varies from 2.53 km (Kurung Kumey District) to
47.43 km (Tirap District), the average density being 17 sq. km per 100 sq. km. The average
percentage of electrified villages in the border areas is 46.32.
On the basis of the information collected from six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with
people’s representatives, Government officials, Block officials, school teachers, village headmen,
NGOs, businessmen, contractors, security personnel, women’s bodies, etc.; data collected from
the border villages and the experience gathered by the Study Teams from the border villages, the
following observations about the situation of Arunachal Pradesh border can be made.
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1. Mindset of the people of the Border Areas:
It is found in the surveyed districts that the people living on both sides of the
intrtnational border of Arunachal Pradesh belong to the same tribes. Along the border of Changlang
District lives the Tangsa tribe on both sides of India and Myanmar, the Mishimi tribe in both sides
of India and China in Anjaw District and the Mompas in both sides of India and China in Tawang
District. As a result cross-border movements of men and materials existed before India’s
Independence. Though such movements continued in a restricted manner in the Indo-Myanmar
border in Changlang District, these are completely sealed in the Indo-China border in Anjaw and
Tawang Districts, particularly after the Chinese aggression in 1962.
From discussion with the village people of the border area of Anjaw District, it has been felt
that the people in general still feel that their counterparts across the border in China are much
better off in terms of both economic and social developments. Some of them are found to have
been praising the initiatives taken by the Chinese Government in uplifting the economic status of
their own tribe living in the other side of the border in China. The Study Team also had an opportunity
to observe the developments in the agglomerated clusters of Chinese border villages on the
fringe of Indo-China border from the Kibithoo border point with the help of high-power distance
viewer (binocular) provided by the Indian army officials.
It is to be noted that a few old people met by the Study Team have all praise for Chinese
soldiers when the Chinese army entered into their area in 1962 aggression because the civilians of
Arunachal Pradesh were treated well by the Chinese army. It may also be noted that the local inhabitants
of both the Blocks under study do not have any conflict with the Indian army unlike Manipur.
All these show that a section of the people living in the villages bordering China in Anjaw
District are not happy with development activities initiated by the Government of India. On the
other hand, the Tangsa tribes living in the border of the Changlang District do not feel inferior to
their counterparts across the border in Myanmar. It is because unlike the Chinese Government,
the Myanmar Government has not taken any initiatives in developing their areas bordering Arunachal
Pradesh.
2. Scattered Human Habitation:
The population density in the border areas is so low that economic and social
infrastructures development programmes are difficult to be implemented because costs far exceed
the benefits. The unit cost of road construction is Rs 80 lakh per km, in Nampong Block, which is
almost double of that of plains. But in Hawai Block it is as high as three to four times of that of the
plains. This is because of stiff hills the costs of development in the border region are very high.
3. Transport and Communication:
Development of transport and communication is most challenging in the border
areas of Arunachal Pradesh because of scattered habitation, stiff hills and uneven topography. At
present percentage of villages having road connectivity are 60 in Changlang District and 14 in
Anjaw District against the State average of 38.Thus about 86 per cent of the villages in Anjaw
District have no road connectivity. The people of these villages have to use Porters Tracks for
their all kinds of movements. Tata Sumu service is the primary mode of transport for the villages
having road connectivity. State transport service is very limited in border areas. Telecommunication
connectivity is also extremely poor in the border area as the private telecommunication service
providers are not interested for low profitability.
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The Stilwell/Ledo Road was built during the Second World War connecting Kunming-
Baoshan (China)-Myitkyina (Myanmar)-Ledo (India). The total length of the road between Kunming
and Ledo is about 1700 km of which 800 km is in Yunnan Province of China, 727 km in Myanmar
and 173 km in India. But between Myitkyina and Pangshu Pass (border point with India) a stretch
of about 200 km, this route needs rebuilding because beyond Myitkyina up to Kunming the road is
already well developed. Thus, from Ledo to the extreme border point of India (except ‘no man land’
portion on Indian side) has been developed recently. Since Kunming is already connected with
Hong Kong by an express highway, the North East India, for that matter India as a whole, could
establish direct road link with Hong Kong if the Stilwell Road is well developed. Moreover, since
Lashio is well connected by rail and road with provinces of south and central Myanmar, bordering
Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, the Stilwell Road can connect India with the entire South
East Asian countries by land route.
4. Porter Tracks:
It is observed that in the stiff hilly region the only means of movements of men and
materials are the porter tracks. Villagers with marketable articles on their back move along these
tracks to reach markets. But the conditions of these tracks are so poor that the villagers find it
very difficult in treading along these tracks. This has been highlighted in the FGDs at Hawai and
Wallong of Anjaw District.
5. Agricultural Practice:
Jhum is the common practice of cultivation in the border areas, which gives very
low productivity. The cropping pattern of the area includes paddy, millet, opium, though the region
is very suitable for horticultural crops like orange, cardamom etc. on permanent basis. The Study
Team has observed that orange and cardamoms cultivations are successfully practiced in some
border villages of Anjaw District.
6. Rural Development Schemes:
Various rural development schemes are being implemented through Panchayati
Raj Institutions (PRIs). Centrally structured schemes are difficult to implement in the border areas
because of very high unit cost. For example, in the FGDs it has been highlighted that the construction
cost of a latrine under Total Sanitation Programme and the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) is almost
double of the amount sanctioned. Similarly, most of the villages of border area of Arunachal Pradesh
are not eligible for the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sadak Yojana because of
very low density of population. Thus, villagers of the border areas are deprived of many important
rural development programmes.
7. Health and Health Delivery System:
In both the sample border Blocks, the predominant disease among the inhabitants
is found to be malaria. Existence of deep forests has made the entire border area damped and
breeding ground for the mosquitoes. People do not use mosquito net. People are not aware of
protecting themselves from mosquito bite by using mosquito net and other methods. Diarrhea
and cholera also frequently occur in the villages of the border area.
The poor status of health delivery system in the border districts can be gauged from the
fact that there are only 3 PHCs per 10,000 populations in Changlang District against the State
average of 6. As it is evident from the village survey, villagers of certain border villages are to travel
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up to 27 km to reach the nearest PHC in Nampong Block of Changlang District. However, the
situation is relatively better in Anjaw District since the no of PHCs per 10,000 populations is 10 and
the maximum distance the villagers have to cover to reach the nearest PHC is 10 km. In the border
blocks under study, the number of doctors per 10,000 populations is 4, which is almost at par with
State average. The number of hospital beds per 10,000 populations is 11 in Changlang District and
31 in Anjaw District against the State average of 20. In the absence of the adequate health delivery
system, people had to resort to traditional method of treatment whenever they are ill.
It was evident from the FGDs that the health delivery system in border areas is not only
deficient in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality. Absentee doctors and paramedical
personnel and shortage of required medicines are common phenomena in border PHCs and
hospitals. In the absence of diagnostic equipments and modern medicines, substantial number of
patients are referred either to Coal India Hospital, Margherita or to Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh
(500 km from Kibithoo border of Anjaw District and 160 km from Nampong border of Changlang
District). However, it is evident from the FGDs that immunization scheme even in the border
areas of Arunachal Pradesh is successful and the children are protected from several fatal diseases.
8. Education:
The status of primary and middle school education in the border areas of surveyed
Blocks is found to be good in the surveyed villages in the sense that there is one primary school in
each surveyed village and one ME school for three or four villages. However the High and Higher
Secondary Schools for most of the villages are beyond the walking distance.
9. Banking Infrastructure:
The border Blocks are found to be highly inadequate in banking facilities because
only the District Headquarters have a branch of nationalized bank. The villagers have to travel a
long distance to get the benefit of banking service.
10. Marketing Infrastructure:
Some amount of marketing infrastructure has been developed at Nampong (only
12 km from Myanmar border), because of the existence of border trade with Myanmar. Because
of very thin population and low commercial activities the marketing infrastructure is very poor in
Anjaw District. However, a few roadside petty markets are observed in this district.
11. Natural Disaster:
Landslide is found to be the most frequent natural disaster in the border areas.
Border roads are blocked for days together disrupting all transport activities during the rainy season.
As a result supply of all essential commodities and essential services are severely disrupted.
Implications for the Thirteenth Finance Commission: (Arunachal Pradesh)
The implications for the Thirteenth Finance Commission of the observations and findings
of the Study Team are the following:
1. The feeling of being deprived of the developmental facilities, which their counter part is
enjoying on the other side of the Chinese border, must be removed by special initiatives for
development of the border areas. The Finance Commission can take initiative in this front.
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