Monga, a famine like situation, prevails for a certain period almost every year in the country's northern region. The government's efforts by giving away relief through vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme is just a drop in the ocean to mitigate the sufferings of the poor masses. 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 organised 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 decentralisation of industries and help setting up of large and medium industries under government patronage. Such step to decentralise industries is needed for economic rejuvenation of the region. The policy of decentralisation 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 decentralisation of the industries in the depressed areas require 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 industrialisation 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 disfavour 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 specialised 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 judgement 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 industrialisation 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 realising 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.