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Roadmap for NE infrastructure needed: Sarkar

By The Assam Tribune - 15 Sep 2010 12:00 AM GMT

AGARTALA, Aug 15 (IANS) - The Central government should chart out a roadmap to bring about a sea-change in the infrastructure of the Northeast to make it a self-reliant region, Tripurta Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said Sunday in his Independence Day speech.

"Long neglect, deprivation and backwardness makes the Northeast region isolated from the rest of the world," Sarkar said after unfurling the national flag at Assam Rifles ground here.

Sarkar, a member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo, said: "The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government has been trying to take absolute control of the States' power so that the States have remained dependent on the Centre instead of (being) self-dependent."

Sarkar also strongly criticised the UPA government's foreign, education and economic policies.

"After 63 years of independence, the government has failed to provide food security to all its citizens," Sarkar said and demanded that 14 essential commodities be supplied through the public distribution system to check the price rise.