Appreciation by the Prime Minister

Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has appreciated the recommendations of the Committee headed by B K Chaturvedi, Member, Planning Commission, on 'Development of Hill States arising from management of forest lands with special focus on creation of infrastructure, livelihood and human development'.

The Committee has submitted its report with recommendations

in two parts-Process issues and Fiscal Compensation.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Tuki expressed gratitude to the Union Government for commissioning the study and requested him to implement the recommendations in toto to achieve the purpose of the study when it was commissioned.

The Chief Minister particularly welcomed the recommendation for earmarking 2% of annual GBS per year for this purpose during rest of the Twelfth Five year Plan period.

"Your intervention will set in process a giant leap for the Himalayan and Northeast Region of India to reach at par with the rest of the Country," he observed.

Playing a pro-active role for the benefit of the whole North East region from the said recommendations, Tuki also called upon his counterparts in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim to take up the cause by taking it up with the Government of India on behalf of their respective states.

He has written letters to the Chief Ministers of rest of the North Eastern states requesting them to appeal with the Central Government to accept the recommendations of the Committee. He reasoned that the recommendation for earmarking 2% of annual GBS per year during rest of the Twelfth Five year Plan period would be a shot in the arm for the region to push in over-all development and progress.