WomenInAutomation2024: AI and Automation for eveyone
Nakshatra
1. Citizens for Accountable Governance
1
www.indiancag.org/manthan
Manthan Topic: Sunrise States-Realizing the growth potential of North-East
Team Details
Rohit Hemrajani
B.Tech (ME)
IIT-Kanpur
Jaishri Rai
M.Sc. (Maths)
IIT-Kanpur
Randhir Kr. Shah
BT-MT Dual (ME)
IIT-Kanpur
Pranjal Verma
B.Tech (BSBE)
IIT-Kanpur
Smriti Pandey
BT-MT Dual (EE)
IIT-Kanpur
2. Citizens for Accountable Governance
2
www.indiancag.org/manthan
• NE region has rich potential natural resources and enjoys highest per capita investment by the Centre,
averaging INR 2,574.98, against the all-India average of INR 683.95
• Central government ministries have been earmarking 10 percent of their annual budgets for
northeastern states since 1998
Still NE states stand at the bottom in terms of economic growth and contribution to India’s GDP
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Present Scenario
5,017
+212%
3,684
Andaman &
Nicobar
Islands
Mizoram
Manipur
Nagaland
Arunachal
Pradesh
Meghalaya 11,085
9,379
7,535
5,666
Sikkim 5,148
11,469
GSDP
Tripura 15,645
Puducherry
*Seven sister states are in the
bottom 10 in terms of GSDP
3. Citizens for Accountable Governance
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2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.1 P.A.C.T.
• The growth opportunities in NE India can be divided mainly under four major heads
POWER
• Abundant resource of coal, oil and gas for thermal power generation
• According to NEEPC, the region has the potential of about 58971MW hydro power
• Region has a reserve of 151.68 billion cubic feet natural gas, capable of generating 7500MW for 10 years
AGRICULTURE
• Region holds enormous potential for development of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, & fisheries
• Commercial Crops: Rubber & Bamboo (imp. agricultural produces) can attract a lot of investment
• Horticulture: NE’s comparative advantages in producing fruits, and vegetables can be tapped
CONNECTIVITY
• Strengthening Air connectivity for compensating poor Roads & Railway networks
• Inland Waterway as an economical mode of transport for better connectivity an d enhancing tourism
• Expanding Telecommunication sector to access remote areas and villages
TOURISM
• Rich natural beauty and exotic flora & fauna are invaluable resources for the development of eco-tourism
• Rich and unique culture of Nagaland, “Land of Snakes” can be promoted to attract foreign tourists
• Exploring new dimensions in hills, valleys and river islands
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2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.2 Power
Power
Bamboo Hydro Thermal
Capacity
Identified
(in MW)
• India, the world’s largest producer of
bamboo after China, grows about 80
million tones each year, more than half
of it in the northeast
• Mizoram has large areas of Bamboo
plantation. The state produces 3.2
million tones of bamboo, which can be
trapped to generate electricity
• Joint Venture projects on energy
harness
• The state of Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim
has picturesque landscape, amazing terrain
and some of the swiftest rivulet system. It
has a huge hydro power potential and
could play a key role in cross-border
energy trading with Nepal, Bhutan and
Bangladesh
• Region has potential of about 63167 MW
hydro power i.e. almost 40% of the
country’s total hydro potential
• The region is also blessed with 864.78
million tones of coal against 186 billion
tones of reserves in the country.
• With this reserve in the NE Region,
approximately 240 MW/day can be
generated for a period of 100 years
50,328
4,286
2,3942,1961,7841,57468015
T ManAs N APMeg SikMiz
India holds the key to the strategy of regional
energy integration. NE, as the vital link to the
South East Asian countries, could well be the
significant region
Hence, development of power and energy through
proper utilization of the resources is the need of
the hour
7%
Others
9%
48%
Orissa
Maharashtra 10%
NER
6%
Karnataka
20%
Madhya Pradesh
%share of states
In Bamboo production
5. Citizens for Accountable Governance
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2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.3 Agriculture
26
2423
18
13
10
6
+312%
Aru praTriAs MeghSikMiz Nag
%Irrigated
Area
Major Challenges
Growth Potentials
• Agri-businesses, such as food and bamboo processing, which engage small
farmers under contract farming, need to be encouraged
• Nurseries and seed farms should be set up under public-private partnership
(PPP) to develop HYV seeds for improving the productivity of the agricultural
sector in the North-East
• Given its biodiversity and soil and climatic conditions, NER is congenial for
horticulture and growing high-value crops.
• Given the strategic geographical position of the NER, wherein it shares 98 per
cent of its boundaries (about 5,000 km) with neighbouring countries (Nepal,
Bhutan, China, Myamar and Bagladesh), it holds immense potential to be a hub
of trade with the East. NER’s links with East and South-East Asian countries
need to be revived in order to boost trade with them
Low share of land
under agriculture
Irregular land
holding pattern
Low use of modern
technology
Poor soil
productivity
• NER accounts for about
8 % of the total
geographical area of
the country but has
only 3.4 % of the total
land put under
agricultural purposes
• Small and marginal
farmers dominate the
landholding pattern.
More than 59 % of the
farmers hold below 1
ha of land, and 80 % of
them hold below 2 ha
• Fertilizer used per hectare
during 2004–05 was
negligible in the region,
especially in Nagaland (1.5
kg), Sikkim (2.8 kg),
Arunachal Pradesh (2.9 kg);
compared to the national
average of 104.5 kg/ha
• Poor soil condition, short
sunshine hours, excessive
humidity and frequent floods
are the natural constraints in
these states
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2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.4 Connectivity
Connectivity
Airways Railways Inland Waterways Telecommunications
The trade between India and ASEAN is mostly
manufacturing products and is restrictive towards
the agricultural products
In order to take the advantages of the growing
trade alliances, effort should be on improving
inter-state connectivity and market integration
• Use of Air Trams/Cable
Cars as a cheap and terrain
suitable carrier to connect
remote areas and villages
• New greenfield projects
for establishment of
airports at major capitals
• Transportation of heavy
goods can be carried out
conveniently through air
transfer
• Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Myanmar and TAR should
be connected to Guwahati
in addition to Bangkok
• Another international
airport for the southern
part of NER in Agartala can
be prioritized
• Connecting NE with Trans-
Asian railways (TAR)
enhancing trade activities
and tourism in ASEAN
countries
• Building strong railway
network within the region
especially in eastern most
areas of Mizoram, Nagaland
and Manipur to enhance
tourism
• Benefits of IWT in terms of low
cost, high volume, low fuel
expenditure and shortest land
distance between North
Eastern Region and rest of the
country
• IWT can also be exploited to
enhance tourism and increase
revenue of NE states
• NE India has many large and
small rivers providing facilities
for water transport, especially
in their plains sections
• IWT has a natural fit with the
bulk commodities that the
North Eastern Region imports
and exports from rest of India
• River Brahmaputra as National
Waterway
• Investment on waterways can
provide alternative routes for
movement of bulk cargo for
Nagaland and Manipur
12
151
131
+376%
TriAru Pra NagAs
2.434
ManiMiz
• Need for more involvement
of private companies in
strengthening of telecom
sector in NER
• Presently, national roaming
facility is not available for
prepaid users from other
states due to security
reasons which has impacted
tourism and business
visitors thereby harming the
interest of the States
4762
105
54583556
429
4740
161155
417
177
90
Aru
Pra
Tri Mani NagAs SikMizMegha
1.318
No. of Rural Exchanges
No. of Broadband
7. Citizens for Accountable Governance
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• Tourism can play a key player as a revenue generator for NE states and as well for India
• To enhance tourism, major areas that need to be addressed are:
2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.5 Tourism
• Promotion of Tea-Tourism
• Promotion and development of Majuli
island-largest island in world
• Promotion of regional festivals-Bihu, Bathou,
Cheraw, etc.
• Implementing new greenfield airport projects
at capital cities
• Making a strong network of cable cars in remote
and hilly areas
• Speed up the construction of Great ASEAN-
Highway-I network
• Promotion of River rafting, Para-sailing and other
activities to attract foreign and domestic tourists
• Exploration of new hill spots like Jatinga
• Building of National Water Sports
Academy to encourage sports
• Encouraging Golf-Tourism
• Building up of National Parks, Biosphere
Reserves, Research Institutes in states like
Nagaland (Land of Snakes)
• Standardization of all-weather paved roads
• Building up of Cultural Heritage
Monuments, Museums and Parks
Infrastructure
Adventure
Sports
RegionalConnectivity
+12%
2010-
11
6.081.682
2008-
09
5.396.660
2009-
10
5.872.902
2007-
08
4.810.016
2004-
05
2006-
07
2005-
06
3.019.829
3.756.720
4.904.342
Tourist
Influx in
NER
8. North-East
States
Citizens for Accountable Governance
8
www.indiancag.org/manthan
2. GROWTH POTENTIALS
2.6 Summary: Potentials of NE States
Manipur
Imphal valley-home to largest
freshwater lake in North-East India
and Sendra island can attract foreign
and domestic tourists
Arunachal Pradesh
With an estimate of 50,000 MW the
state ranks first in the country in
terms of hydroelectric power
potential
Mizoram
Has a potential of generating 4,500
MW but produces only 13.5 MW
currently which is only 0.60 per cent
of the total potential
Tripura
Highest number of primate species
found in any Indian state.
Promotion of Biosphere reserves
Nagaland
Also known as Land of Snakes.
Building of National Medicinal
Research Center and Snake Research
Institute
Assam
Highest producer of tea in India.
Encourage tea trade with
neighboring countries
Sikkim
Geographically diverse due to its
location. Has the only open land
border b/w India & China, can play
as middle-man in cross border trade
Meghalaya
With its vast coal reserve, is
extremely rich in thermal power
potential.
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3. IMPACT
• Development of North-East States depend heavily on strengthening of four major heads-P.A.C.T. i.e.
Power, Agriculture, Connectivity and Tourism
• Boosting up one sector automatically accelerates the growth of other as they are inter-linked in some way
or the other and will surely be key players in taking NE at the top in terms of revenue generation
• Increase in economic growth will open the doors for millions of unemployed skilled youth and would also
bring down the number of drop-outs in NER, where the literacy rate is quite high
• In about 10 years, the growth rate of NER is expected to double if P.A.C.T. is implemented
Power +
Connectivity
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Employment
Better
Education,Health
& Standard of
Living
ECONOMIC
GROWTH
10. Citizens for Accountable Governance
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4. MAJOR CHALLENGES
Delay in implementation of policies
Lack of modern technologies to overcome geographical constraints
National security
Ethnic clashes leading to political instabilities
Irregular landholding patterns
Being a politically sensitive region, it is also necessary for any development agency to look for local
partnerships to assess and mitigate political risks to any development intervention
