The Philosophies Of Ethnic Divides In North East India
With Special Reference To Manipur - An Emerging Trend
- Part 3 -

Dr. Priyadarshni M. Gangte *

Manipur Maps showing the different districts

6. Security Concerns (Law and Order): The freedom of democracy has always demanded or implied the imperative of peaceful living conditions. Investments on tourism sector and natural resources have remained unexplored for security reasons in the State. In fact, for security problems and concerns; investors or stakeholders would have preferred Manipur instead of other States in the North East.

7. Insecurity Issues: Apart from all sorts of insecurity prevailing in the State, crime against women has certain variation from other States, in fact, the highest in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, that the most women suffer atrocities from the State and non-actors in the course of armed conflict and again sometimes the dimension of crime is also interestingly changed in the sense that some unidentified armed man or terrorist acting such activities of rape and other activities against women. This phenomenon is also acute in the societies where the ethnic minority communities belong. They are not able to come forward and have a say for they would be more tortured mentally and physically, thus, it will be the victimization of victims.

Now, such an environment also acts as a hindrance towards the upliftment so as to empowering in socio-economic and political spheres for women are predominantly majority in the Scheduled Tribe societies.

8. Centre's outlook: In spite of 65 years of freedom and independence, right from the historic event i.e. Merger of Manipur with the dominion of India in 1949 21 September, and placing of Manipur an earlier Kingdom into a Part – C category. Yet, the Centre has not changed its attitude of step-motherly treatment being meted out. The Central Government has not done anything concrete and substantial in developing the State. There is no fair and equitable distribution of national wealth and resources. Whatever fund is allocated for development of the State, it should be utilized properly, and it should not reach the pockets of the Ministers, middlemen agents and bureaucrats, etc. The riches and power are being concentrated in a few hands. People are frustrated, confused and demoralized. The political leaders are indulging in scams and scandals involving crores of rupees.

It should be ensured that a concrete steps are being taken up which will go in a long way in the advancement, upliftment of this group of people in particular and development of the State in general.

8. Displacement of people for construction of Dam: In 1950s, the Government of India (GOI) initiated and under took the major and power projects of the Eastern India, viz, Hirakud in Orrissa, Mayurakshi in Bengal and all Damodar Valley Hydro and thermal power projects which made the displacement of people in the upper regions, their unsettled future and the loss of forest and biodiversity of the submerged area as we have noticed in our State i.e., Loktak Project. In this context, it will be pertinent to mention what Kurup maintains about the fallout from large dams,
"Despite substantial evidences assembled by the world Commission on Dams in the year 2000 about the problems that are created by dams exceeding a certain size, the thrust of our Government is to pursue construction of large dams as a preferred strategy for meeting the country's irrigation and power needs. As on January 31st, 2006 the installed capacity of 254 hydro electric power stations constructed in the various parts of the country is 31754.45 MW. It is a common knowledge that this capacity can be achieved only at peak levels of water reservoirs. The reduction of power from 1994-2004 is around 31 Per Cent. The Govt of India plans to add 5040 MW in the year 2031-32. The fund requirement is estimated to the order of Rs 30,000 crores every year as per present level for the generation component alone. Other fallouts are displacement of 0.67 million people each year and submergence of 1,00,000 hectares of land 40,000 hectares of forest land."

9. Human Resource: Manipur is also yet to overcome the problems of dichotomy in its economy which are generally faced by underdeveloped and developing countries. There is acute shortage of manpower that possessing critical skills and abilities which are highly needed for a faster growth of economy on the one hand and surplus of unskilled labour for which there is a less demand in the job market. The State is already facing a serious challenge of human resource management in the last many years and now.

In keeping with the complexities, engrossing the State in the wake of challenges and constraints, it becomes imperative to evolve sound, efficient and effective management of human resources in the desired manner.

10. Social Policy: It is also considered imperative to frame a social policy especially in an organized sector with a view to ensure that all officials from lower rank to higher ranking shall have to perform their duties compulsorily according to the assignment of works while rendering their services for the welfare of the public, and also it will help in making distribution of all kinds of beneficiaries and facilities under different schemes of the departments to have to reach to all sections of the society, so that transparency and developments are maintained in the manner as desired by the public, thereby leaving no room to practice corruption by all walks of life.

Some of the perspective suggestions for remedial measures are as follows:

i) To frame an internal mechanism to bring harmonization of local administrations of different communities being practiced based on customary laws with the rules of democracy in order create a conductive atmosphere of establishing a good relationship of all communities in the State through public administration.

ii) To strengthen democracy at grass root level with a separate provision of funding pattern to local bodies must be framed so that flow of fund reaches to all destinations in time.

iii) To put pressure upon the Union Government to set up large and small scale industries both at State and district levels after identifying the site and availability of raw materials for the purposes of tapping natural resources and to avoid the burden of scarcity of resources. Besides, initiative also be taken up to approach local rich men to convince them to set up industry and factory as a joint propriety for grouping them together for generation of employment as well as making investment in a long term, so that local industry and factory may become an exporter of the local goods and services to other States of the country.

iv) Apart from improving the infrastructures of the existing offices, buildings and schools, to set up new infrastructure buildings where such basic amenities are urgently needed by the local people.

v) To make heavy investment of fund on education sector after proper assessment in terms of requirement of infrastructure buildings and student strengthen are carried out or to start privatization of education sector and handed over its management to local bodies on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in order to ensure effective management and productive of education in the hands of local people so that eradication of total illiteracy is achieved.

vi) A concerted effort towards security issue must be chalked out by inviting all groups and masses in order to remove fear of mind and disturbances while rendering services for the welfare of the masses on issues related to security in the State.

vii) Implementation of development schemes and projects at various places shall be done based once approved item-wise to be carried out on phase-wise manner in the approved work programme of the 5th Year Plan, so that choose and pick up in the hands of authorities are avoided in the pursuit of equal footing development of all localities.

Furthermore, as far as the education in Manipur is concerned, we need a structural change from the present Indian western education system because it is despite not world class as it is not character and man making education. This is the reason why the education failed in India. Educated ones have failed to create the systems to go with every aspects of life of everyone in this world.

Swami Vivekanandas' philosophy of education also counters and challenges in the system by pointing out (i) lack of development of powers of concentration of mind and (ii) lack of holistic and long term vision i.e. lack of spirituality; because of two reasons (i) unabling mind for perfection, quality and excellence and (ii) petty and narrow minded and the thoughts only of immediate gains instead of long term good.

Conclusion:

In present day world, a strong brain wave is sweeping across our universe and removing and eradicating any kind of barriers and divisions between nations and continents, and making it the world 'flat' and inclusive. Though, violence and corruption continue to negate development which has been on planned processing. To take the State forward, it is high time for us to have a new strategy for governance, development and peace that hinges on political, social and cultural transformation. However, investment in human resource development towards creation of human capital would be crucial to achieving the desired objective without a concerted effort of the Government in collaboration with the civil societies in a long way. It cannot be left only to politicians and bureaucrats. It is necessary with transparent public and private participation and calls for a new initiative and leadership for development with a strong ethical content.

Concluded...