| Monga,
a famine like situation, prevails for a certain period almost
every year in the country's northern region. The rural youth
finding no jobs in the region. Start migrating to big cities
with hope of finding jobs. The result is concentration of
people especially in Dhaka and Chittagong. Such uninterrupted
migration develops ghettos in those cities causing burden
on civic amenities and environment and also giving rise to
anti-social activities in various forms. Unless the government
is deeply aware of the multitude of problems associated with
Monga and finds solution, it will be a perennial source of
headache for them. The magnitude of problems that will ultimately
creep up in gigantic manner will be difficult to sustain.
The increasing unemployment in the north is based far too
much on the barren principle of keeping some kind of work
going somehow, with absence of government initiative and policy
planning.
The
government's goodwill is very much imperative to solve the
problem of Monga and find out jobs for the rural youth. Recently,
the Jubo Karmasangsthan Society organized a discussion meeting
to find out solution to Monga. There some speakers suggested
cultivation of banana, sweet potatoes, and other cereals during
this period and also make best use of 2.5 trillion cubic feet
of stones found out in the region. Others laid emphasis on
developing communications infrastructure and promote tourism
to create employment opportunity. Yet other speakers suggested
allocation of micro-credit by government to form cooperative
societies and set up small industries to eradicate poverty.
But such seasonal agriculture, promotion of tourism and setting
up of small industries through micro-credit is a piecemeal
solution and may be a temporary measure to combat Monga but
is no answer for the permanent solution of Monga.
Under
the circumstances, the government should look for a long term
measure and frame policies to face Monga. The government policies
must be based on finding jobs in and around depressed areas
or small cities where they grow up. The long term view of
the government should concentrate on decentralization of industries
and help setting up of large and medium industries under government
patronage. Such step to decentralize industries is needed
for economic rejuvenation of the region. The policy of decentralization
of industries in the depressed areas requires more of a social
and economic needs rather than the needs of entrepreneurial
opportunity at the beginning. The decentralization of the
industries in the depressed areas requires long term planning
by government to develop depressed areas into "growth
zone". In such "growth zone", increased public
and private investment are to be made so as to give support
to its development. No policy will do away with problems unless
it establishes not just a number of new industries but the
nucleus of industrial complex which will have a natural power
of self-sustained development and expansion.
If
the government means business and wants to develop depressed
areas of the country then constitution of a "development
council" is essential pre-requisite which will enforce
industrialization in the "growth zone." A new government
centre i.e. central committee under planning minister to be
set up to involve in the activities of planning and execution.
The bureaucratic authority of different institutions tend
to look with predictable disfavor at anything which threaten
their own autonomy. Success will come only if all those concerned
keep their mind firmly on the idea of self sustaining growth
and abjure all resistance to change.
Increased
public spending is to be made so as to give special support
to the "Growth zone" or "Growth points".
Government spending is needed in terms of public service investments
covering roads, hospitals, housing, education and so on in
the depressed regions. The government shall aim at promotion
of tourism industry in that region in order to give impetus
to local development. Expert views and consultation with chamber
of commerce and industries, travel and other associations
will produce constructive ideas about the best ways of achieving
desired result. Government shall continue to operate a strict
policy of steering as much new industrial development as predictable,
away from areas where the need for employment is less pressing.
The resultant effect will be the population of the depressed
areas of northern and southwestern region of the country,
instead of the tendency to migrate to big cities, will want
to live and work in their own areas.
The
overriding need is to diversify the region's economic life
to broaden the economic base by development of wider range
of enterprises. Those enterprises, for example, paper mill
using bagasse, leather, mango juice and pulp, banana processing,
fish processing, ceramic, textiles, chemical and pharmaceutical,
re-rolling mills, and linkage industries for big sugar mills
in those areas with a view to not only sustaining development
of the region but also ensuring development of the national
economy as a whole.
What
many planners and economists would like to see is the development
of industrial estates at a few selected "Growth zones"
throughout the north and southwestern region. This would mean
the acquisition and development of new sites
and
new facilities backed by government assistance to the maximum
regardless of the status of the area. The government programme
of building good roads, bridges, hospital buildings, residential
accommodations, gas and coal fired power stations for cheaper
electricity and improving ports of the region must go on with
the development programme. This requires virtual integration
of related departments to remove obstacles in the way of implementation.
Until this is done, the temptation to concentrate industries
in and around Dhaka and Chittagong is to be overcome by government
regulations. A policy of allowing new industry in a few selected
"Growth points" demand not only a regional view
of economic prospects but also regional planning and development
in general.
An
entrepreneur thinking of establishing new industry will invariably
want wide choice of sites and infrastructural facilities.
He will naturally want to go into an established area for
factory where specialized service industries and public facilities
already exist. Therefore, a policy of allowing new industry
to establish in the country's northern and southwestern region
requires developed infrastructural facilities. Besides a clear
judgment can be reached by the government on the efficacy
of financial inducement.
The
planning of whole range of programme could help reinforce
regional development. What is certain is that in the face
of hard realities, a powerful consensus of opinion is the
need for the uplift and industrialization of depressed regions.
Government should be committed to its dominating role in the
development of economy of the region. Like any major business
it should be manned by experienced and dashing personnel if
delay, inefficiency and wastage are to be avoided. The administrative
body at each level should co-ordinate with the regional planning
and administrative authority in realizing industrial development
of the less developed region. Unless the depressed areas are
developed economically to sustain growth in the region, the
Monga or famine like situation will prevail every year in
the Bangla months of Aswin and Kartik and rural youth will
continue to migrate to big cities for survival.
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