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CM says solution to Naga political issue remains top priority
KOHIMA, MAY 24 : A ‘thanksgiving service’ marking the completion of two years of power of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government under the leadership of Chief Minister TR Zeliang was held at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima on Tuesday.
In his address on the occasion, the Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the people for having reposed their faith in his leadership and for supporting him throughout the past “two crucial years”. He announced that the “top most priority” of the state government will be to continue and facilitate the ongoing dialogue for peaceful resolution to the Naga political issue. He reminded that this was the motivating factor that has united all the 60 legislators to form an “opposition-less government”, as well as the Nagaland Legislator’s Forum (NLF) on Naga Political Issue, by sinking differences of the past.
Zeliang also recollected the efforts made by the Parliamentary Working Committee of the NLF, by meeting the different Naga political groups for a common Naga cause, as well as the Central leaders and those of different national political parties to brief them about the Naga issue, and seek their support as and when the matter is brought to Parliament and other appropriate fora.
“The ‘framework agreement’ of 3rd August, 2015 can be said to be the indirect outcome of all these joint efforts, because the Prime Minister himself told us while interacting with the Parliamentary Working Committee represented by all the tribes and all political parties in his office chamber on July 16th last year, and the spirit of unity and oneness exhibited by the House across party lines which I believe had given him the courage to go ahead with signing of the Framework Agreement with the NSCN (IM),” Zeliang said.
The Chief Minister also expressed happiness that civil bodies like the Naga Hoho, ENPO, NMA, Nagaland GB Federation, NSF, ENSF and various religious organisations were reasoning and moving together with one vision for early solution to the Naga political issue. He is hopeful that if the people continue to move forward with such spirit of unity and cooperation, the Naga people will have a bright future.
Talking about the achievements of the DAN government during the last two years, he said the government has “done reasonably well” despite constraints of resources. For a state like Nagaland, he said the change in funding pattern from the Central government, consequent upon the change over from the Planning Commission to Niti Aayog and the discontinuation of block plan grants to states, the availability of the state’s plan resources were severely affected. Now the state has to depend heavily on the Central flagship programmes and other CSS for development works, he stated.
However, on the non-plan front, he acknowledged that the 14th Finance Commission has been “kind and practical” in their assessment, and also, for the first time in recent history, the state managed to have a positive BCR in the Annual Budget for 2016-17.
“We have also managed to clear all the back-log CDs relating to the past years from 2011-12 to 2015-16. But the deficits of the 13th Finance Commission period continue to haunt us; and even today, we have to do a tight-rope walk every month to manage our cash balances with the RBI,” Zeliang said. He is however positive that the state government is on a course to reduce budgetary deficits.
On the social and economic fronts, he said “the people are the better judge on our performance”. While pointing out that a lot has been done for the Agriculture and allied sectors, such as horticulture and animal husbandry, he however admitted that much more remains to be done. “We intend to build on these initial successes,” he asserted, adding that in order to achieve this, a ‘Vision Document’ for Nagaland in line with the Vision 2020 for North East Region (NER) and the Act East Policy, is being envisioned, “which will set out our visions and target for the next 8 years or so, say by the year 2023, coinciding with the tenure of the next Assembly”.
The ‘Vision Document’ is expected to bring out how the state must go about to achieve self-sufficiency in potential items like food grains, vegetables, horticulture, meat, eggs and milk etc. by providing a comprehensive plan.
“Our other priorities will be to exploit our mineral resources for the people’s welfare,” he stated.
The Chief Minister also maintained that the government would strive to achieve vast improvements in the roads, power, water supply, health care and education with modern technology, where the citizen will be reasonably satisfied. “We will do our best to reduce unemployment amongst the youth through industrialization by bringing private investments in the State, and through skill development and vocationalization of secondary education etc. In order to achieve this venture, an investment board is being constituted by planning department,” he remarked.
On the ‘Year of Construction Workers’ which the state government has recently declared, he said sufficient local skilled work force will be built up, capable of taking over the entire or most of the construction works in the state. This, he said, is also envisioned to protect “our identity, our culture and traditions”.
“We also contemplate to bring out Naga customary law through the tribal Hohos, GB Federation and Village Councils. This will also protect us from possible demographic assimilation in the long run,” Zeliang added.
He further solicited the goodwill and prayer from the churches and the people of Nagaland towards the government so that it may deliver good governance and justice to all sections of people in the state.
The president of Naga People’s Front (NPF), Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu while congratulating the Chief Minister TR Zeliang and his MLAs on successful completion of two years in office, also acknowledged the state bureaucracy and party leaders for their contribution to strengthen the government. He stated that despite attempts by “a group of desperate and power monger leaders” to disturb the smooth functioning in the government and peace in the state, the DAN government had remained strong and stable “without turning back or stop to throw stone at every barking dog”.
He also highlighted the achievements made by the DAN government during the last two years and stressed that the most important amongst all had been the coming together of all the 60 MLAs in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly into a common platform with the sole objective to fulfil the political aspiration of the Nagas.
State Chaplain, Rev. Kuzeirang Thou who delivered the main message at the programme said ‘thanksgiving’ is an occasion to introspect oneself and look back on the past events to evaluate one’s performances. Citing excerpts from the second book of Samuel 7:8-9 of the Holy Bible, the reverend said all the 60 MLAs were called from different fields to lead their people. With all the NLA standing without opposition today, he said that Nagaland portrays a “united kingdom” and asked all the leaders to be reflective and ask themselves if they are ready to put God before everything.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar while delivering greetings on the occasion said that the society is able to meet its needs and meet future challenges only when it is innovative, merit based and efficient. He said the government marking its milestones is not only to recall the progress made but also to ponder over how to get the unfinished work done and meet future challenges. The bureaucracy head also reminded that sloth and inefficiency must be dealt with in order to execute better delivery of public services and urged upon the gathering to renew commitment to work towards a better future for the citizens of the state.
Joining the celebration of two years of DAN-III at the State Banquet Hall, alliance partner BJP’s vice president K James Vizo stated that the DAN government had been ruling the state successfully despite many hurdles. He assured that the state BJP will join in the efforts to overcome whatever difficulties the government of the day is facing.
He also put across that BJP Nagaland is happy that the Naga political problem is being given priority by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the state government is playing a proactive role to facilitate settlement of the issue.
“We hope that during the NDA regime in the Centre and the DAN regime in the state, a permanent settlement- honourable and acceptable to the Naga people can be arrived at,” Vizo said.
He also suggested several views to the gathering for consideration, including the need to revisit the DAN common minimum programme (CMP) and pursue the same with renewed vigour for the benefit of the people of Nagaland. While highlighting the need to have a transparent system of sharing resources between alliance partners, he said the state BJP on its part will work concertedly to enable projects/proposals to be cleared or sanctioned in the Central ministries.
He further expressed hope that the problems within the NPF would be settled early so that the DAN alliance would grow stronger and deliver good governance, development, prosperity, unity, peace and harmony to the people of Nagaland.