Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday urged banks to prepare separate financial guidelines for the northeast keeping in mind its people and ground realities so that the region could witness all-round development.
Addressing a bankers’ conclave in Agartala, the Union minister said bankers must consider the development of the region as their responsibility.
“Should the guidelines prepared by the RBI, NABARD and other banks with regards to the MSME, business, loans, personal loans for the country be the same for the Northeast. How is that possible. Banking guidelines for the Northeast can’t be the same. It is necessary to prepare separate financial guidelines for the Northeast with new parameters. Secretary banking, Chairman NABARD and SBI should make special financial guidelines for the Northeast taking into account the people and its ground realities,” Shah said.
He said the Northeast is now the most lucrative place for investment and manufacturing, predicting a growth rate of 20% for the region in the next 10 years. He said work is also being done to make the Northeast a major gateway for export.
Union minister for department of northeastern region (Doner) Jyotiraditya Scindia also highlighted the region’s economic potential.
“Northeast is India’s gateway to South East Asia and South East Asia’s gateway, not just to India, but to the world,” Scindia said, urging bankers to strengthen their presence in northeast as the avenues for growth are immense.
“Northeast had been blessed by Mother Earth...In last 10 years, we have seen devolvement of resources close to ₹527,000 crores in terms of 10% of our gross budgetary support...one has seen developments across the paradigm (in past 10 years)... from roadways, bridges, airports (grown from 9 to 17), railways,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Shah addressed the 72nd plenary session of the North East Council (NEC) at Pragya Bhawan, where he called for a rehaul of approach, training and focus of the police force in the region as the insurgency nears its end.
“We fought against militancy for years. We fought against violence for years. The target of the police was to get rid of violence. That job is almost done. Now time has come to ensure people to get justice within three years of lodging FIRs. For this, change should be brought in approach, training and focus of the police,” Shah said.
The Centre has adopted a multi-dimensional approach in ensuring security that resulted in 31% reduction in violence, and 86% reduction in human toll in the region in the last ten years, Shah said.
The Union minister also said that he will hold discussions with chief ministers from the region in February to discuss the implementation of the three new criminal laws
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