Evacuee influx a great strain on Meghalaya
SHILLONG, JUNE 15 – During his presentation of Meghaleya’s budget for 1971-72 in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly here today. Mr. Brington B. Lyngdoh. The Finance Minister referred to the happenings across the border in East Bengal and said that the continuing heavy influx of evacuees had caused great strain and stress to the State.
The budget reveals an overall deficit of Rs. 2,00,86,000 No new taxes have been proposed and the entire deficit is sought to be covered by Central assistance.
Total receipts comprising the State’s share of Central assistance and loans are estimated at Rs. 25,94,83,000 and the total estimated expenditure is placed at Rs . 27,95,69,000. Thus the budget estimates for 1971-72 are expected to close with an overall deficit of Rs. 2,00,86,000.
During his budget speech Mr. Lyngdon said that the war between an organized army and the unarmed civil population of East Bengal had cast a very dark shadow over the entire subcontinent. Hundreds and thousands of people-men, women and children, old, feeble and injured – were seeking refuge in Indian territory. Already over 2,50,000 of evacuees had entered Meghalaya and many more were pouring in daily along the entire stretch of the border.
The refugee problem he said was assuming alarming proportions everyday. The State Government has been doing whatever is possible to provide shelter, food and medical aid to the refugees. This, he said, was a gigantic task and had caused a good deal of strain on the economy of the border villages which had been in a bad shape for all these years after the partition of the country.
Naturally, he said the people of Meghalaya were worried. He assured them that the refugees would be sent back to their respective places as soon as a favorable condition was created in East Bengal for their safe return.
The Government he said was also aware of the possibility of undesirable elements like agent provocateurs, saboteurs and Pakistani spies coming into this country along with the refugees. This matter had also been receiving the serious attention of the Government, he added.
Referring to the relief work for the evacuees from East Bengal, the Finance Minister said about 30 camps had already been constructed. Stock of medicines was being built up but to find doctors and other paramedical staff was a big problem even now. A contingent of doctors from Delhi, Nagpur and Benares had since arrived and they had been sent to various camps in the State. Some voluntary agencies were also doing good work in these camps.
The impact of the disturbances in East Bengal the Finance Minister said was indeed a tremendous one on Meghalaya which had completed only one year of its existence. The Present influx had more than doubled the population in the border areas of the State. Prices of all commodities had risen. Food supplies had to be increased manifold. A heavy burden had fallen on the transport facilities available, destruction of jungle wealth and vegetables had led to local resentment and also great health hazards had been caused to the population of the border villages.
The socio-economic tension accompanying such a heavy influx more particularly when the economy of the border areas of Meghalaya had been badly disrupted ever since the creation of Pakistan and where even in normal times special border programmes had to be undertaken to rehabilitate the border economy could be well imagined, he said.
Speaking on the budget estimates the Finance Minister said that he was not happy to present a budget with a big overall deficit but this was unavoidable. The scope for mobilizing additional resources at this stage of this infant State was very limited, he added.
Speaking about the need for lifting the economy from its present underdeveloped state. Mr. Lyngdoh said that the State Government had embarked upon a developmental programme which should not only enable Meghalaya to reach the all India level of per capita income but also to build up an economy of self-sufficiency in the State.
For 1971/72, a draft plan of the order of Rs. 11.70 crores was submitted to the Planning Commission and after several rounds of discussions the size of the annual plan has been fixed at Rs. 7.95 crores.
Top priority would be given to the development of roads and a sum of Rs. 3.25 crores had been allocated for the purpose.
Among the achievements to registered during 1970/71 the Finance Minister listed the construction of Dudnai and Mahadeo bridges in Garo Hills, completion of water supply schemes in a number of townships including Cherrapunjee additional food production of 123,000 tons and the setting up of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank and the State Industrial Development Corporation.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 16.06.1971