Acharya bats for cooperative movement in Nagaland’s agri sector

Dimapur, Jan. 25 (EMN): Governor PB Acharya on Friday said cooperative movement in agri sector was the need of the hour for economic empowerment of the state’s ‘organic producing farmers.’ In his Republic Day message, issued by the Raj Bhavan, the governor thanked “our kisaan (Hindi for farmer), service providers and hardworking labourers for their hard work to make (sic) the state towards self-sufficiency in food production and strengthening the connectivity.” “Our state has potential for all round development. We are blessed with abundant natural resources like coal, minerals, mineral oil, hydro energy, solar energy, rainwater, flora and fauna, precious stones, etc. “We have lakhs of human resources. It is high time our universities introduce new curriculum to create wealth out of natural resources by utilising judiciously for the development of the state. Our forest is endowed with herbs and medicinal plants, which need to be grown as commercial crop to double the income of our agriculturists,” he said. Acharya identified skill education was the ‘future of developing state and our country.’ We must impart skill training to educated youth to be entrepreneurs and wealth-creators, he said. “Women have an important role to play in development of the state and country. Hundreds of girl children in Nagaland are being sponsored by Raj Bhavan in their studies under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme with the help of well wishers. “Peace is pre-requisite for development. Central government has been successful in bringing all the Naga armed groups to negotiating table. We hope that the framework agreement will result in an early respectable and acceptable solution to protracted Naga political issue…I appreciate the state government for their initiatives for all round development of the state in tune with ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas,’” the governor said. He challenged the citizens to “renew our pledge, on this historic day, to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of nationalism and of patriotism and to work, with commitment, dedication, trust and confidence to make Nagaland a golden Nagaland by making economically strong, vibrant and peaceful. “Our goal should be economically independent, peaceful and prosperous state in tune with other 28 states of the country. We have to come out from ‘bimaru (sic) state.’” Acharya appealed to all educated youth from Nagaland to return to the state and strengthen the village economy. He also noted that the Republic Day coincides with the birthday of “Rani Ma Gaidinliu, a Naga, and great freedom fighter of North East India. I salute her.” According to him, the day was an occasion for celebration and rejoicing, “yet it is also a day of introspection about our successes and our failures in realising the goals set in the Constitution and the dreams of the stalwarts of India’s freedom struggle.”