As part of its ongoing series of freewheeling IDEA SERIES 2006 with leading intellectuals, development specialists, leaders and personalities from other walks of life hailing from the region as well as outside, The Center for Peace & Development Initiative (CforPD-I) organized an IDEA SESSION on the North East recently at the Ghana Adhikar Media House at Dispur in Guwahati city.
The CforPD-I invited eminent banker and new General Manager of the State Bank of India (SBI) North East Region Mr. Surjya Phukan and General Manager (North East) of world renowned consumer electronics giant HAIER Appliances (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Pradeep Paul as special invitees from the Banking Sector and the Corporate World respectively to the meet for discussion on a range of development issues in the region and role of the corporate and financial institutions in the development process of the North East.
General Manager of SBI Phukan urged CforPD-I members to identify core sectors in the region where intervention of the CforPD-I for positive transformation were most essential at this juncture.
Speaking about the general link between lack of development and resultant violence and disturbance, Phukan pointed that poverty was one key reason for much of disturbance and violence in most parts of the region. He said that much of the solution to the challenges of the region lies in improving the economic situation of those living Below Poverty Line (BPL).
Speaking about the general link between lack of development and resultant violence and disturbance, Phukan pointed that poverty was one key reason for much of disturbance and violence in most parts of the region. He said that much of the solution to the challenges of the region lies in improving the economic situation of those living Below Poverty Line (BPL).
He urged CforPD-I members to focus on economic issues of the region particularly in uplifting the lot of the downtrodden irrespective of their caste, creed, ethnic color or religion. Phukan also urged the CforPD-I to act as a catalyst for promoting and preserving generic culture of organic farming in the region by assisting farmers in the region to get access to their organic produce in developed markets where they could get better price for their produce.
In this regard he said that facilitating market access to their produce in the European Union (EU) and other developed markets of the world and identifying reliable transporters in the US and EU for transporting local organic produce on time from the North East would go a long way in developing the agri business of the region.
The SBI GM North East further said that CforPD-I can also promote pisciculture and poultry farming by facilitating technical know-how and other resources for farmers and the economically downtrodden people in the rural areas of the region. He also promised full assistance in this regard from the SBI.

The General Manager also suggested CforPD-I to promote the culture of saving among farmers of the region for their own benefit in the long run. He said that towards this end the SBI has already introduced a policy under which farmers can get SBI Life Insurance too.

General Manager of Haier Appliances (India) Ltd. Pradeep Paul said that potential investors both, domestic and foreign, avoid the region despite inherent potential because of glaring lack of basic infrastructure like power and security situation as a whole. He cited the case of a Chinese delegation, which had visited Guwahati recently for exploring investment opportunities in the region but quickly pulled out upon learning about the appalling power situation in the region.

He said that if North East could not take off in manufacturing sector due to lack of infrastructure then it could look towards trading as another potential area for economic resurrection. Pradeep also felt that meat processing sector was one area where North East could benefit and compete in developed market with proper technical know how.

He also said that he would be readily available with CforPD-I manpower resource base for developing marketing skills of farmers union, co-operatives and new generation of entrepreneurs in the region.

Convenor of the Idea Session S Talukdar in his address stressed on the need for reconciliation and dialogue among stake-holders for bringing an end to the cycle of violence in the region. Towards this end, CforPD-I convenor Talukdar said that the CforPDI would endeavour to give positive contribution to the stake holders in bringing about development and peace in the region particularly in the interest of those at the grassroots level.

He also threw light on his own experience with fellow media colleagues like Girindra Saikia, journalist with the Assamese vernacular daily Dainik Agradoot, on how to delicately handle conflict situations as both peacemaker and mediaperson.

Co-convenor Samir Purkayastha, journalist with a leading national daily, spoke about the need for understanding the pulse of the people before policy makers make any decision on development issues of the region. He stressed that the CforPD-I was engaged in trying to understand the delicate nature of the conflicts across the region and advised caution and political wisdom while working to bring about reconciliation among parties involved in conflicts.

Journalist associated with national and regional media Jahansher Firoze, who was also co-convenor of the session, suggested the need for a more broad-based engagement in multiple-sectors for bringing about comprehensive development in the region. He also spoke about the need for positive intervention in conflicts with spirit of reconciliation without fear of branding. He said that such endeavor was called for at this juncture in light of visible failure and emerging challenges in the region despite sincere efforts from several quarters primarily because of lack of political insight into the complex issues dogging the region.

He spoke about the need for deliberate intervention in higher education sector, developing tourism culture in rural sector and developing market for agri-produce of the region and spreading the message of reconciliation and conflict resolution in the region. He said that active intervention were necessary in those areas because despite talk of globalization and developing Look East policy there was no visible shift in the region in the ground situation on the region.

Girindra Saikia spoke on the rising challenges in the North-East and linked the current turbulent situation with economic plight of the people. He said that peace was a corollary to all round development, which had been tested and proved through the ages and across civilizations.

He pointed that when an individual is gainfully employed he/she naturally has no time for indulging in destructive activities harmful to both the nation and humanity.

Speaking on the need for embracing the current culture of globalization and liberalization with wisdom and foresight, Girin -who is also a versatile folk singer- also talked about the danger of ruthless assault from globalization and liberalization to the unique folk cultures of the region. He said that there was an urgent need to encourage further and do more in preserving and promoting the rich and diverse folk cultures of the region.

Later a closed-door session was held among CforPDI members and its associates, in which strategic issues on the region and the world were discussed. The meet also decided to identify entrepreneurs of the region to transform their visions into reality with technical assistance and other forms of assistance in collaboration with partners in the financial world.

A roadmap was also drawn up to increase interaction with the corporate world and various business organizations and domestic and foreign investors to draw investment in the region. In this connection it was decided to precisely identify sectors/ areas where investment flow could benefit the people and generate jobs. To transform hype on the North East into reality, it was decided to create a meeting point between expectations of MNCs and both domestic and foreign investors who are interested to invest in the region and the actual situation on the ground and the USPs of the region.