Speaker asserts DAA and Act East Policy incompatible

Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 15 (EMN): Nagaland Assembly speaker Dr Imtiwapang Aier on Thursday said that Disturbed Area Act with Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 should be removed from the North East to implement Look East Policy(LEP) or Act East Policy(AEP) effectively in the ground.
Stating that the present NE region should not be compared with that of 1950s or 60s, speaker Dr Imtiwapang said there should be a good gesture to the whole of NE people and it’ll ultimately create congenial atmosphere for smooth functioning and transactions in the whole region for the traders as well as the tourists.Nagaland speaker Dr Imtiwapang also expressed his desire to revive the concept of “special category status” (for NE states) to boost special development in NE region at par with the other mainland areas of our country.
The Speaker was sharing his views on ‘North East and LEP’ on the first day of 4-day 16th North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) which is underway here at Manipur assembly premises.
Stating that this LEP or AEP aims for the NE region to be an integral part of the policy and to utilise the region as a base to develop better connectivity with the South Asian countries through land route, hence to make this voice clear, LEP/AEP into reality, the existing international trade centres in all the international border of the NE states should be developed for economic upliftment of the people living in the border states.
A 12 member Nagaland assembly team led by speaker Dr Imtiwapang Aier and assembly Commissioner and Secretary N Benjamin Newmai are attending the NERCPA conclave.