1. THE SUNRISE STATES
Realizing the growth potential of North-East
TEAM YOUTHOPIA
Group coordinator: Alif Hossain
Group members:
1. Niriksha Bishnoi
2. Ashutosh Mohapatra
3. Sneha Boyana
4. Devika Singh
OUR MOTO: “Set thy heart upon thy work but never its reward”
“Even though the team is made up of diverse personalities, we function with cohesiveness. For every task undertaken,
our primary objective is to outperform. Emphasis is given on team success rather than individual accolades.”

2. The NORTH EAST INDIA covers an area of 255,511 km2
, or about 7% of India’s total area.
They have a population of 44.98 million in 2011, about 3.7% of India’s total. It is a true frontier
region which has 2000 km of border with Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh and
is connected to the rest of India by a narrow 20 km wide corridor of land. The economy of NER
is agrarian although little land is available for settled agriculture due to the inaccessible terrain.
 Insurgency
The parochial governments and Delhi centric move of the Indian
government is at the core of much of the discontents, widespread
dissatisfaction, feelings of being oppressed and in the impression of
being colonized. There is an incessant idea in the minds of the people
that their identity is being scoured due to the submergence into the
vast ocean of Indian humanity. Thus, insurgency has mushroomed in
the region and the secessionist movements, either for sovereignty or
for separate homeland, began to lock horns leading to a vertical
division among various ethnic groups.
 Infrastructure
The rich natural and human resources available in the region
cannot be utilized to the full extent mainly due to the geo-political
condition, including ever-deteriorating law and order, which has a lot
of implication on the development of must needed infrastructure. The
negligence of the central government in the past and due to the
problems of insurgency at present resulted into the gross deficiency of
infrastructure in the region. This has crippled the free flow of factors
as well as products. In such a situation, it would be hard for the region
to accrue the benefits of globalization. Under the prevailing
circumstances mere allocation of funds or implementation of new
policy would not suffice to tackle the problems in the region.
 Governance
“The state is
responsible for the
creation of
conducive political, legal and economic environment for building
individual capabilities and encouraging private initiatives.”The state of
governance in the region is in pathetic condition. Government
machinery is on the brink of collapse. Corruption, squandering of
public funds, deteriorating law and order, lack of transparency and
accountability, bureaucratic rigmarole, insensitivity and so forth are
quite rampant in the region. There is widespread allegation of
insurgency-government officials-bureaucrats-politician nexus,
including law enforcing agencies, and siphon off public funds. All this
has eroded the individual capabilities and institutional capacities to
meet the social objectives.
The present state of affairs in the region is past deed of the
central government and what the future generation will face would be
decided by One Single Decision or Idea.
“A GOOD DECISION IS BASED ON KNOWLEDGE AND
NOT ON NUMBERS.”

3. MYANMAR IS THE SOLUTION FOR NORTH EAST
 Solving the insurgency problem in the NER bilaterally by
involving security and intelligence exchange between the
border forces.
 Ethnic ties and tribal linkages between the insurgents on
either side of border have facilitated their movements and
finding of safe haven and camps in those areas. Thus
holding cross border talks and missions in eradicating this
from the grass root.
 After a series of arms seizures in Chittagong and other parts
of Bangladesh, Myanmar has emerged as sole route for
weapons into the northeast. Camps in Myanmar allow these
rebels to stockpile these weapons and transfer them at
appropriate time into India. Improved ties will kill the very
oxygen (i.e., arms) from the insurgents.
 The warlords in Myanmar have encouraged growing poppy
plants in NEA as well. Unless these new plantations are
destroyed and gainful agricultural alternatives provided to
the farmers, the India- Myanmar border will soon be dotted
with poppy fields feeding the processing plants in western
Myanmar. Joint collaboration between the Border
Security Forces of both the countries is needed.
 Myanmar being an energy rich country can full fill the need
of India’s energy crisis. The proposed International pipeline
through Bangladesh should be taken more seriously as the
IPI pipeline has taken the shelves.
 It can transform India’s North-East and bordering
region. Development of Sittwe port will allow our
Northeastern states to access the port and reduce India’s
transportation dependency on the security sensitive
Siliguri corridor.
 Myanmar possesses resources that are required
desperately by India e.g. natural gas, minerals, and
pulses. Myanmar has 2.54 trillion cubic meters of
natural gas reserves and the largest copper mines in
Asia. Investing in these areas and in the undeveloped
secondary and tertiary sectors like educational, telecom
and healthcare systems will dramatically improve the
trade through NE thus enabling the boost to the growth
to the region.
 Connecting Myanmar with the NER will lead India into
the open market of the South East Asia (particularly
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea and Taiwan).
The recently explored oil-rich region of South China
Sea will also be available. Thus prospering the NER
and reducing the Indian traffic in the Strait of Malacca.
Thus India can have a direct land trade route through
the NER.

6. Infrastructure Project - India-Myanmar-Thailand-Cambodia (IMTC) Quadrilateral
 Quadrilateral Highway from Moreh in India to Phnom
Penh in Cambodia through Nai Pyi Taw in Myanmar with total
length of 2,300 km
 Balance Import vs Import Traffic
Proposal Benefits
Promote Export Traffic
Establish branches of
Indian & Myanmar
banks in the border area
Frame strategic industrial
and economic policies
for NE
Develop NE as the most
modern textile hub
(handlooms, Handicrafts)
Promote Import Traffic
 Setup IT based security
services on the highway
 Stabilize exchange rates
 Security improvement
across the border
Economic
 Stability in trade balance &
market prices
 Economic growth
 Control over illegal
taxation and trades
Ecology
 Spreading environmental
friendly practices and
habits across the regions
through Tribal way of
living
Social
 Cultural & literacy
development
 Skill development through
technology and industry

7. FRIENDSHIP ROAD - AMPLIFYING STATUS QUO
PROPOSAL BENEFITS
VISION
 To make the NER the biggest transit point between India
and ASEAN
GLOBAL STANDARD
 Create the Best Globally standard in Eco-Wayside
Amenities
Basic Resting Relief Special
Fuel station Hotels
Accident
relief centre
Rural Tourism
Parking place Toilets
Security
centre
Souvenir
Shop
Banking Resutrants
Information
centre
Internet zone
 Transit duty free land port (widen the current list)
Economic
 Smooth border trade and gain comparative advantage
 Formation of micro economy for managing wayside
facilities
 Growth in trade in high value products.
Ecology
 Eco-Friendly practices giving benefit across the
spectrum of Land Energy Water Waste Air Carbon
Social
 Reduction in Insurgency

8. Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)
BOOST TRADE
Proposal Benefits
Overcome project
challenges
 Increase support and
funding to take the
project completion.
 Target for early
completion
Eco-friendly
implementation
 Environment
conservation
 Water management
practices
Strengthen old ties
 Gain access to
Bangladesh port
Economic
 NE to gain sea
access to ASEAN
zone
 Facilitate bulk trade
via Sittwe port
 Open up contiguous
markets
 Opening up trade
with Bangladesh
Ecology
 Distance travelled by
trader is reduced by
half
 Cheap &
Environment friendly
transport
Social
 Improve quality of
life

9. Tourism “Paradise unexplored”
One of the most promising income and employment generating sectors in North Eastern Region and with climatic, scenic and varied, robust
cultural attractions the North East can and must be developed into a list-one tourist destination. Opening up of the trade-routes to South East Asia
would give further boost to tourism in the region.
PROMOTING AND DEVELOPING NE INDIA as the ECO AND
ADVENTURE TOURISM CAPITAL
 Introducing TREE HOTELS and lodges in the forest area.
 Eco friendly, cost effective and attractive for tourism.
 No huge investments necessary
 Promotion and Govt. help needed.
 Employment to local people including tribals.
 Income to the forest department.
The other key ideas-
• Creating a Regional Tourism Development Corporation.
• One food craft institute to be set up in each state.
• Guwahati to be developed as a major national and
international air hub with Imphal as the regional hub.
• The State PWDs, the Ministry of Road Transport and
the Highway Authority of India to ensure that the
tourism destinations in the national and regional circuits
are adequately connected.
• To enable tourists to enjoy the local environment and to
allow the socio-economic benefits of tourism to spread
to rural areas, responsible rural tourism to be developed.
At least two such centers will be developed each year in
each state from 2014 onwards.

10. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT
REQUIRED
Priorities Suggested:
 Primary sector.
 Education (HRD).
 Primary Healthcare.
 Rural connectivity.
 Value addition to local produce locally for income
enhancement.
 Employment generation including micro level enterprises for
rural unemployment.
Agriculture and Primary Sectors:
 Land reforms.
 Horticulture on massive scale.
 Efficient market infrastructure through regional master plan.
 Self help group.
Fishery:
 Raise production of fish to 12 lakh MT.
 Reservoir & unregistered beels and swamps utilized for fishery.
 Promote MAHSEER for in situ and enhanced production.
 Exploit riverine stretch (about 2000 KM) for fishery.
 Est. fish producers co-operative society/ farmers club for high
production and marketing.
Sericulture:
 2 lakh ha. Wasteland be encouraged for seri.
 Two clusters of 200ha./300m farmers be set up in each district.
 Sericulture development mission with special Central Grant.
 Raise production level of seri to 6000 MT.
Industry and Employment:
 Developing small & micro enterprise through growth poles.
 15 year bamboo DP under NERBM to generate 1 million jobs.
 Crash programme to train youths in petroleum tech to takeoff the
big employment market by oil giants in the region.
 Programme for development of Khadi and Village industries,
may create about 5 lakh job opportunities.
 Wide scale IT application for knowledge based development.
Infrastructure:
 Increase road length of district roads and upgradation of national
highway to 4-lane with separate regional road maintenance fund.
 Development of ten old airstrips in the region.
 Completing existing railway tracks and all capitals be connected.

11.  Make Brahmaputra-Barak-Meghana into a natural
waterway.
 Make NER destination for fresh water for various parts of world.
Education:
 Management of primary education by local community.
 Training of all untrained teachers through a crash programme to
be jointly implemented by SCERTs, NCERT and IGNOU.
Health:
 Communatization of primary health care system.
 Setting Regional Medical Univ. & para medical institutions.
 Increase health sector budget to 6 percent of GDP.
Rural Development:
 Minimum road connectivity to all the 40000+ villages.
 Electrification of the 8400 villages and 45 lakh households.
 Water supply to the uncovered 46.54% rural households.
 At least two rural clusters in each of the 484 blocks in the region.
 Set up a regional centre for rural studies.
 Promotion and application of appropriate rural technology.
Measures to Correct Financial Imbalances:
 Set fiscal targets on basis of long term macro economic forecast.
 Constitution of state level fiscal advisory boards.
 Reduction in administrative overhead.
 Making tax system efficient.
 Better project implementation and monitoring.
Governance and Decentralization:
 Need of a responsive, committed & transparent administration.
 Capacity building for e-governance.
 Assistance from Planning Commission to states to improve
project formulation, execution & monitoring system.
 NEC to have professionals in core sectors through outsourcing.
 Excessive bureaucratic interference which inhibits flow of
private investment must be avoided.
 Centre to provide adequate financial resources for development
of core sectors contributing to economy.
Mission Mode:
 Immediately launch NEBM and NERITM, Bamboo mission to
create 1 Lakh additional job opportunities, lead to double rise in
economic growth and enhancement of community income.
 Global & South East Asia export network for bamboo products.
 New transport subsidy packages for all items exported from
NER to provide air, rail and inland transport subsidy from any
part of NE up to port of transshipment be introduced.
 Excise/ import duty waivers on capital goods import

12. CHALLENGES AND RISKS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
CHALLENGES INVOLVED:
 Unguaranteed involvement of the
Govt. during projects.
 Supervision by people from other
states not involved.
 The lack of connectivity to respective
market is the main cause for under
utilization of resources
 Opposition faced due to neighboring
counties.
 No check on the corruption.
 Lack of monitoring of the
development of projects
 Lack of incentives for private
companies to invest in the region.
 In Tourism the private sectors not
RISKS INVOLVED:
 Lack of will of locals to contribute in
development.
 Long term investments are not
preferable by private sector.
 Opposition from local businesses.
 Political instability and lack of
security dissuades investors.
 Unsteady inflow of investment.
 Promotion of the projects in a right-
minded manner with the assistance
of the government.

13. REFERENCE
 “Augmenting Bilateral Trade Between India & Myanmar”, ICC
 Bibhu Prasad Routray, “India-Myanmar Relations: Triumph of Pragmatism”, Vol-1, Issue-1, Oct ’11.
 Kyaw Hlaing, DMD, Ministry of Construction, Myanmar, “Strengthening Multimodal Connectivity”- 11th
BCIM Forum, 23-
24 Feb ’13.
 “Indo-Myanmar Relations”, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India
 S. D. Muni, “India’s Foreign Policy: The Democracy Dimension”
 J. N. Dixit, “Road to Mandalay”, Telegraph
 Dr M. Lall, C. House and IOE, University of London, “India’s gas pipeline efforts–an analysis of the problems that have
prevented success”.
 Subhir Bhaumik, “Guns, drugs and rebels”
 Marie Lall, “Indo-Myanmar Relationships in the Era of Pipeline Diplomacy”, Contemporary Southeast Asia
 List of Indian states by GDP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 File No.10 (3)/2007-DBA-II/NER, Government of India , Ministry of Commerce and Industry , Department of Industrial
Policy and Promotion
 V. P. Singh, “Reflections of Indo-Myanmar Relations”.
 UN 2012, “ASIAN HIGHWAY ROUTE MAP”.
 So UMEZAKI, IDE-JETRO, “ASEAN-India Connectivity: The Comprehensive Asia Development Plan (CADP), Phase 2,
2012”
 Sasiwan Chingchit, JNU, “India, Thailand and the Burma Connection”- Asia Pacific Bulletin, 23 Feb, 2012.
 D. Suba Chandran, N. Manoharan, V. Shekhar, P. G. R. Mohan, J. Jacob, IPCS, “Connecting India-A Road Map for New
Roads”, No 58, Jan 2008.
 Linking with Southeast Asia: Developing North East India's tourism potential"-ipcs.o