Reinventing the SEVEN SISTERS

By : Senators

About The Seven Sisters

Location : 29.5N to 22N 88E to 97.5E Drainage : Brahmaputra(Dibang River, Lohit River, Dhansiri River, Kameng River, Raidak River, Jaldhaka River, Teesta River) Barak(Tributaries : Makku, Trang, Tuivai, Jiri, Sonai, Rukni, Katakhal, Dhaleswari, Langachini, Maduva and Jatinga) Climate : Predominantly humid sub-tropical climate with hot, humid summers, severe monsoons and mild winters.

In The NE States. Its Potential

Agriculture

Assam has the highest share of tea production in India (53%of total). The sub-tropical climate of Northeastern India is extremely favorable to the cultivation of many plantation crops e.g. tea, coffee and rubber. Plantation crops are of great economic importance and provide huge employment opportunity, specially to the women throughout the year. North-East India is well blessed by Nature and it lays at the center of one of the worlds richest bio-geographic areas viz. Kaziranga and Manas sanctuaries. It has a rich cultural and ethnic heritage that can easily make it a touristspot. The various historical monuments and places like Rangghar, Karengghar, Joysagar, Joydoul, etc. will encourage tourism in NE India. The wooded hill stations like Haflong, Towang, Shillong, Gangtok, etc. will attract the tourists for hiking, trekking and camping.

Tourism

Trade

The North East shares land border with five countries viz. Bangladesh, Myanmar, China ,Bhutan and, Nepal. NER can trade a part of the huge produce of tea and other plantation crops at good profit since they are produced at nearby place. Trade across countries can link the seven sisters to the rest of India due to its strategic location.

The Brahmaputra River

The overall hydropower potential of Arunachal Pradesh has been identified to be over 50,000 MW; in fact in the entire North East Region the potential is over 58,356 MW ( more than 1/3 of Indias hydroelectric potential ).
Average Water Resource Potential is 537240 MCM i.e. much more than enough to irrigate the entire fertile land in the North East Region.
About 2 billion cubic meters of ground water in the Brahmaputra basin are within 5m of the surface and is easily accessible by shallow tube wells.

Only about 16 percent of the total potential is utilized during Rabi and Pre-Kharif season. Reason : Too much reliance on rice and wheat production system with less emphasis on dry land agriculture.

But only potential is not enough

Challenges to the development of NER
The largest riverine island in the world, once covering 1,226 square kilometers, Majuli has declined to a mere 576 square km in a little under thirty years due to massive erosion caused by the annual monsoon that hits this island hard. At the end of September, monsoonal floods hit Assam in Northeastern India, affecting over two million people across 18 remote districts. The populations has dire needs in terms of shelter and hygiene, and has also lost its crops, which represent their main livelihood due to these floods. Adequate efforts have not been made to capture this flood water which results in water scarcity for most of the year. The region has high rainfall averaging around 10000 millimeters and above annually yet paradoxically the regions far from perennial sources are water scarce. This huge amount of precipitation is lost as surface runoff due the regions hilly terrain. This situation also doubles as floods in low line area. Agriculture is not possible off season as there is acute shortage of water (even drinking water is hard to find). Only about 16 percent of the total potential is utilized during Rabi and PreKharif season (Reason : no water for irrigation after monsoon).

Floods

Scarcity of water

It doesnt end up there only..

Political Instability
The states have accused New Delhi of ignoring the issues concerning them. It is this feeling which has led the natives of these states to seek greater participation in self-governance. There are existing territorial disputes between Manipur and Nagaland. Most of these organizations demand independent state status or increased regional autonomy and sovereignty.

Insurgency

Political Irresponsibility

Many promises were made by the local as well as the national government which have great economic importance viz. Bogibeel Bridge, Railways projects, but are still unfinished. Rs 895 crore was given to Mizoram for implementation of 150 projects under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) but only Rs 391 crore was utilized so far to implement 64 projects.
Bangladeshis form the largest group of migrants in India. As per 2001 census there are 3,084,826 people in India who came from Bangladesh. This creates huge pressure on the government of India in terms of resources and habilitation.

Infiltration from Bangladesh

The Seven Sisters require more of everything

Cumulative FDI Inflows to Indian States April 2000- June 2012
Cumulative FDI Inflows to Indian States

In addition to this..
Special fiscal packages under North East Industrial Policy (NEIP) and North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPPP) have so far failed to trigger major investment flow in the region in the manner it was conceived. The policy has failed to get desired response from the investors. As per 12th Plan share of investment (based on letter of Intent) in North East was, however, only 0.58 per cent of total intended investment (Rs 38,892 crore approximately during 11th plan period) at national level. Though per-capita investment in NER is high, to utilize the benefits its strategic position and all that NER has to offer, huge investments to massive projects, in other words REINVENTION is required.

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19

6
Maharastra Delhi Karnataka

5
Gujrat

0.2
NER

Even a foreign country, Bangladesh understand the economic possibilities of the north east region, and are willing to invest in India for trade market, opening up a possibility of bilateral trade of value $3 billion with Myanmar. But it can be seen from the chart that there was relatively no investment from central government whatsoever.

Our Solution
Extensive canalization and solar project all across the NER
A massive canalization and distribution project of about 80,000km long all across the north east region which will distribute Brahmaputras water throughout the north east. The project will be coupled with solar panels and turbines to mitigate the power shortages (there are power cuts within hours it the place isnt a main city). This canal and distribution systems would cover all the areas with acute shortage and agriculturally feasible areas viz. Silchar, Jorhat, Barnadi, Barak valley, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and related areas. It will support perennial agriculture. In addition to canalization to boom agriculture, setup of PSUs to invest directly to agriculture and directly buy the produce from the farmers will eliminate the middlemen and ensure better output to both the parties.

The water from the extreme rainfall can be routed into the canals through well maintained drains. The canals will also contribute to the recharge of ground water in areas facing acute shortage of water. Alternatively rooftop rainwater harvesting can also be implemented in Silchar, Jorhat, Barnadi, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and related areas.
As recently implemented in Karnataka, Water ATMs can be setup which would use the canal water to provide purified water to places where it is inaccessible.

Input required for this massive project

Time : 5yrs

Canal Solar Projects Cum Solar Project Canal Projects

Rainwater harvesting setup

Finance input : Rs.2000cr annually

Time : 7-8yrs

Financial Input : Rs.500cr annually

Time : Around 1 month for personal implementation Financial Input : Rs. 2000 Rs 30000 (at personal level)
[All figures are approximate.]

Benefits reach 25 million people in the NER

Perennial agriculture will be possible in potential areas like Barak Valley which will boost agricultural economy. Build-up and maintenance of canal and solar projects will provide job opportunities to lakhs of people. Electricity will reach more homes. PSUs will ensure the benefits of the farmers as well as middlemen will be eliminated resulting in genuine rates of products. This system will provide a considerable support to the farmers which will draw the interest of upcoming generation towards agricultural sector.

Economic

Socio-Cultural

The canals will channel flood water and distribute to the entire NER or underground for storage and agriculture. Chances of displacement of people in flood affected areas will be reduced. Canals will solve the crisis for potable water and hence reduce the risk of water war and tensions among different groups.

References


Google Maps Wikipedia National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NCAP) Global Research Methodology Journal, V0l-II, 7th issue, Nov-Dec-Jan, 2012-13 Irrigation Department, Assam

Water Resources Information System of India

Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Times of India, Guwahati

Water in India : Situation and prospects, unicef

Reserve Bank of India Action for food Production and United Nations Children's Fund, Rooftop rainwater harvesting systems