So six full years of the twenty-first century would be gone, gone just like that. It is a time to reckon, time to plan and time to assert for all of us. If we are at home in the State, we get so much bog down with the daily manoeuvres in the midst of all the disturbances happening around. But once we are away from home and in a far away land, we get so must restless with the current predicament befalling the State and seeing the global race for knowledge competition. Earlier it was a competition of military might, scientific power and technological superiority, but now every competition centres around knowledge, its density and intensity. But Manipur has long been made to suffer from non-participation in competitions for advancement.

But Now:
But now three realities are before us on which we should be taking decisions. First, elections are before us to elect the next round of leaders. Secondly, the commencement of the next Five Year Plan coincides with the assumption of power of the newly to be formed government. Thirdly, the Government of India now seems to come to realise the imperatives of addressing the economic issues of the region.

In an earlier input in this column I had explained how India has now been forced by global circumstances to look towards East and South-East Asia for economic relationships. It is at this time that the Government of India has realised the inevitability of addressing the economic issues of the region for tapping the benefits of relationships with beyond. But as we all understand this realisation is only partial as it lacks the other, cultural and social, components of a fruitful realisation.

All too long the region has been made to confine its energy and attention to proximate issues so much so that even the stupid 1958 piece of legislation has now acquired the status of a long run battle for the people; the proximate issue being wisely raised to the status of an ultimate goal of the people through continuous subjugation under this legislation. This has made the people divert their attention from the larger long run issues for transformation and bog them down to daily issues of survival. This has been a potent weapon for deflecting people's attention from the lack of investment in the region. But some of us have been asserting continuously that the regional issues call for appreciation and contextual approaches for addressing them.

But now the Government of India seem intent on addressing the regional economic issues, mainly with the objective of harnessing the benefits of relationships with the Asian countries lying beyond the region, while at the same time keeping regional populace confine to the proximate problems. This has the advantage of pushing ahead with the programmes without much looking into the regional needs, and avoiding any dialogue with the regional citizens while at the same time displaying a pseudo-effort of addressing the regional economic issues. This is a kind of atmosphere where quite a few contractors can make hay while the sun shines in the region. Investments may take place, but we may find the regional population irrelevant at the end of the day.

The Elections:
It is exactly because of these developments that the next Five Year Plan is very critical for both India and the region. Fortunately, the people now have an opportunity provided to them to decide and act on their behalf. What Manipur needs today are leaders who can think sincerely and act aggressively for pushing the economic fate of the State forward. They should be able to articulate regional economic agenda and reorient the national economic programmes to the regional needs without compromising on the potential.

It is now in the hands of the people to select and elect such leaders. Even in the case of already tested hands, we have to see to it that they now realise and adjust to the change realities. The population of the State cannot afford to lose this opportunity to prepare for the next war at the economic realm.

Here I would like to sound a word of caution. The recent statements by the politicians from the hills after resigning from their respective positions establish beyond doubt that bluffing and cheating by politicians are common not only in the valley but also in the hills as well. Further, I would like to call another spade a spade. The moves by some organisations for forcing a certain commitment on the intending candidates for the elections in the hills are faulty on two counts. First, it is absolutely undemocratic. Secondly, the ultimate objective they are pushing for smacks of lack of economic reasoning; it would be economically disastrous. It is no longer the time for the people to be wasting their time for community based mobilisations for political objectives unless one desires to fall into economic oblivion and finally social oblivion. We need in the hills leaders who can arouse the people for their economic rights and assertively push for economic interventions. It has been a lost half a century for the hills of Manipur, and we just cannot allow it to slip further economically. In the unfolding scenario, the need for larger realisation of economic issues and appropriate interventions are much more critical in the hills than in the valley.

In fine, Manipur now needs leaders who can visualise and utilise the emerging economic scenario to regional advantage. These leaders should be able to work on the ultimate issues while satisfactorily addressing the proximate one. Whether we have them or not depends on the outcome of the next elections.