Assam treads peace path, sans investment

As the year 2011 draws to a close, for Assam it was as one of the most peaceful and violence-free years in recent memories. The initiatives of the Centre in the past two years with regard to solving the militancy problem in the state had certainly fructified.

However, though militancy was at its low in 2011, with most of the militant groups engaged in “talks” with the Centre, on the industrial front; there was nothing much to write home about.

The state failed once again when it came to attracting big-ticket investments. Besides, few sundry investments in cement and mining sectors, prominent among them being the Rs. 450 crore investment from Birla Corporation Ltd (BCL), the performance of the state in the industrial front had been poor.

Anti-mega dam protests too kept rending the air in Assam throughout the year 2011, with several organisations often taking it to the streets to oppose the construction of the 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project of NHPC Ltd. With both the state government and the protesting groups appearing stubborn, the year 2012 might see a showdown between the two.

However, the year 2011 saw the Assam tea industry reviving its fortunes against the last year’s poor performance, both on production and price realisation fronts. Price of Assam CTC tea touched a record high of Rs. 301 on December 28 at an auction at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC). But on the other hand, the state also saw widespread resentment and protests by the small tea growers as they rued they were not being paid actual price for the green leaf they supply to the tea factories. They alleged, the organised sector wanted to starve them out of the tea business.

On the political front, the Congress party stormed back to power for the third consecutive term in May 2011, almost demolishing the opposition camp. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also scripted history in some way by becoming the second person after Bimala Prasad Chaliha to earn the rare distinction of making it to the coveted post three times on the trot. The year 2011 was also a tearful year for Assam as the state lost two of its greatest contemporary icons in quick succession in the month of November – legendary lyricist-composer-singer Bhupen Hazarika and litterateur Mamoni Raison Goswami. The state also created a sort of history when lakhs of people came out on streets in Guwahati to bid final adieu to Hazarika.

Peace initiatives with various militant groups, like United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), Dima Halam Daogah (both Nunia and Jewel Garlosa factions), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive), etc. were on in 2011. The visible success was in the form of signing a tripartite peace agreement with the Karbi militant outfit United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS).