EMN
Dimapur, June 11
Chief Minister TR Zeliang met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his North Block office in New Delhi today and briefed him about the situation of Nagaland, including the financial position of the State.
Zeliang requested Singh to expedite the release of the State’s pending claims from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) such as reimbursement of security related expenditures, reimbursement of expenditures for deployment of NAP (IR) Bns outside the State and salaries of village guards.
The CM also requested him to release the subsidy claims pending with the MHA for more than last four years since February, 2010 while explaining the operation of the State’s helicopter services. The said claims lying pending in the MHA is said to be around Rs 228 crore.He also briefed the Home Minister about the problems of IPS cadre management in the State due to acute shortage of senior IPS officers.
At the meeting, Zeliang further appraised Singh about the progress of the Naga peace process and the need for early resumption of the peace talks. He also requested for appointment of interlocutor for the peace talks as the post is lying vacant since resignation of RS Pandey in December 2013.
The Home Minister promised to look positively into all the requests made by the Chief Minister. Zeliang is expected to be back in the State capital on Thursday. He was accompanied by Home Minister V.Patton, Power Minister Kipili Sangtam, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning & Coordination Neiba Kronu, Advisor & Senior Principal Secretary to CM Lalthara and Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, Jyoti Kailash.
On June 9, the Chief Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at latter’s office in New Delhi. State Home Minister Y Patton and Power Minister Kipili Sangtam who were also present at the meeting apprised the Prime Minister about the peculiar problems of Nagaland. The PM gave a passionate hearing to the problems being faced by the State.
The Chief Minister and his ministerial team were assured of prompt assistance in the overall interest of all Nagas. During the meeting, Zeliang, through a memorandum, requested the PM for one-time grant for wiping out the huge deficit of the State. Other demands concerning connectivity and economic improvement and for immediately concluding the Indo-Naga peace talks by quickly appointing an interlocutor were also raised by the CM, according to a release issued by PRO, Nagaland House, New Delhi.
