[Assam] Master stroke for development— G P Baroowah (The Assam Tribune,07.03.2008)

[Buljit Buragohain]

Master stroke for development
— G P Baroowah
  Only on rare occasions such an empowering step is taken in the North East. One of the biggest news, in fact a welcome news, has taken shape in the State of Assam recently, i.e. setting up of an IT Development and Research Institute by TCS in collaboration with IIT, Guwahati. This step would go a long way not only to help creating facilities for educated youth, but also provide a signal to other industrial houses to ignore the terrorism and start investing in the State. Congratulations to all concerned who initiated such a visionary step! It was a master stroke for development!

In some of my articles during the last few years I have been advocating that the State Government needs to contact a few top industrial houses of the country to Start job-oriented centres in the state to usher in real development. I must admit that the present State Government headed by Tarun Gogoi has succeeded in roping in TCS which is considered as one of the topmost IT companies of Asia. My congratulation to Industries minister and IT minister too for such an excellent step. The presence of G Baruva, Director of IIT must have helped the cause. Professor Baruva is considered as top notch IT Research and Administration Specialist of the country today.

I have also been advocating that Assam can house two re-assembling plants (one in Barak Valley and another in Brahmaputra Valley) for cars and SUVs and that may be greatly cost effective under the newly declared centre’s industrial policy. In this respect the most important person would be Union Heavy Industries Minister SM Deb, who hails from Assam and has enough clout to influence Suzuki and Mahindras to relocate assembly plants in the North East since most of the SUV (popularly known as Jeep) could be marketed in this part and can be exported to Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand.

It is understood that Eveready India has also expressed its willingness to set up a plant in Assam. It is learnt that negotiation is in progress for allotment of land. The availability of land, power and infrastructure are three crucial ingredients for industrial development. I am sure the State Government must have taken up a proposal for development of these three factors of production on an urgent basis. During the last 20 years the Government was not in a position to allot land and power at all even when industrialists sometimes expressed their willingness, on rare occasions, to set up plants. The things, it seems, have changed with induction of young and dynamic members in the Assam Cabinet. I was told earlier even Tatas and ITC found it difficult to get a piece of land to set up hotels in Assam. Perhaps gone are those days when entrepreneurs were ignored and given a feeling of being trespassers. 

Recently, a representative of an international cattle feed manufacturing company met me at Kolkata. He expressed willingness to set up a world class plant in Assam and visited the State for discussion. I am sure the group must have contacted the Industries Department and presented their plans. The organisation is eyeing the vast cattle feed market across the border upto Burma and Thailand for export. I am sure things are working out well for the North East. I had also predicted that within another five years time there would be no educated unemployment in urban cities of Assam. So, much more stress needs to be given on creation of vocational institutes in rural Assam. The Government must understand that entrepreneurs must be protected from harassment from local parochialism. All new industry has to run professionally and they must be given chance to manage their affairs in a most techno savvy way without interference from unscrupulous local militant trade unionism. The aim
 of the State should be economic growth and creation of employment commensurating with international standards. Today, a refinery can be managed with 300 persons only with most of the services managing through firming out to contractors. The contract services have become the system of the modern enterprises. Gone are the days when drivers, security personnel, delivery boys and canteen boys were employed by the enterprise. These services are firmed out. The sooner these nuances are understood by society better it would be to grow economically.

During the past years whenever entrepreneurs showed interest for investment, most were welcomed with demand of donations even before production could be started. The Government must ensure that none of the local associations try to pester the enterprise with unreasonable demands of donations and compensation. The present Government is surely aware that there was no scientific and dynamic industrial work culture in our State. It has remained more an agricultural State and mindset of most workmen have remained feudalistic. This mindset needs to be changed through education, guidance and persuasion. The Government alone cannot eradicate it unless there is an overpowering influence of civil society!

A new age has been ushered in by the Government with the help of some of the great technocrats of the State and progressive outlook of saner section of population. Let us help build a Golden Assam and make it a world class state. Assam has potential. Let us make it happen.
(Readers can send their feedback at gpbarua@ yahoo.co.in)
  
 
  (The Assam Tribune,07.03.2008)




       
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