Our Correspondents
Kohima, Aug. 15 (EMN): Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Monday stated that the state needs to grow much faster and broader, and create more employment opportunities for its youth, driven more by private enterprises.
He, therefore, called upon all to build capacities and skills of the youth, to enable their inherent talent to blossom, in order to not only benefit but also contribute towards a faster economic growth and make Nagaland one of the most progressive states in the country.
He said this in his address to the people of the state during the 75th Independence Day celebration at the Civil Secretariat Plaza, Kohima. He also hoisted the national flag on the occasion.
On the Naga political talk, he said the people have been waiting patiently and expectantly for a final solution to the protracted political issue.
‘Naga people want an early inclusive, honourable and acceptable solution,’ Rio said.
"All the elected representatives, representing the people of this state, have also come together and stated in clear terms that they will make way once the solution is reached. In fact, all the elected representatives have been actively facilitating and urging the negotiating parties to realise the long-standing dream of our people without any delay," he stated.
He added the negotiating parties have worked hard, and will continue their hard work till all issues are resolved.
He appealed to the people to continue to be patient and accommodative and also appealed to all parties concerned to listen to the voice of the people, rise above all the differences, and heed the cry of the people for an immediate solution.
Further, Rio said that despite severe resource constraints, the state government has recently taken up a number of measures to further streamline the fund flow and improve the implementation of schemes.
On agri and allied activities, he asserted that the sector has been consistent in increasing food grains while informing that horticulture crops such as pineapple, kiwi, passion fruit and dragon fruit, and plantation crops such as coffee and tea were attracting premium buyers from India and abroad.
In addition to benefits under other schemes, it provided support by transferring over INR 315 crore directly to bank accounts of 2,01,920 farmers for procuring various agricultural inputs under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. A total of 16,712 soil health cards have been issued, he informed.
The Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) is set to be launched from October 2, 2022.
Under the scheme, a health insurance cover of INR 5 lakh per annum per family will be provided for hospitalised care to 1,05,144 families. It will also provide cashless services for most of the diseases requiring hospitalised care.
He also informed that the construction works at Nagaland Medical College Kohima (likely to be renamed as Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research) has shown 75% physical progress. The department has also advertised for 60 posts of key senior positions and applied to the National Medical Commission for starting the college from the next academic year, i.e., 2023-24.
It is also targeting to complete the Medical College in Mon by 2024-25.
The department of Power is further taking up three hydro projects namely: Lower Tizu Hydro Electricity Project (42 MW), Zungki Hydro Electricity Project (24 MW) and Tizu Valley (24 MW) as part of externally aided projects through the Asian Development Bank. The issues connected with the 186 MW hydro electricity project at Dikhu is also getting resolved, he said.
“Once these projects come up, the state will be self-sufficient in electricity power supply and it will greatly reduce the burden of power purchase in the state,” Rio said.
At present, work is also in progress for small Hydro project at Diliumroi (2.4 MW) and the Ponglefo project will be commissioned soon.
Further, the first major solar power plant of capacity 5MW in Nagaland is coming up at Hovukhu village under Niuland district, which is expected to be completed within this financial year.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the PHE department has covered a total of 1,75,075 households, which is 46% of the total target of 3,77,286 rural households that it will provide during 2022-23, it was informed.
On Nagaland Police, law and order, he said 11th NAP (IR) Battalion Headquarters in Aboi has been inaugurated while the foundation plaque of the Nagaland Police Sports Battalion has also been laid last year.
While 15 police station areas of the state in April 2022 were denotified from being disturbed and thus taken out of the purview of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), more areas will come out of the ambit of AFSPA soon, Rio informed.
On tourism, he said that with the launch of a single-window system, all tourist service and trade have gone digital, whereby travel agents, tour operators and homestay units as well as paying guests can now apply directly online for registration with the department.
Rio said the state is unable to produce sufficient meat products to meet its demand, and therefore, have to import from outside. In this regard, it is working on bringing in private initiative for increasing feed production domestically as well as providing greater credit facilities to producers.
The Department concerned is also focusing on development of other indigenous animals like Thotho Cattle and Mithun under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM).
To meet the demand of fish, a road map has been developed by the Fisheries department for enhancing fish production in the potential pockets of the state, it was informed.
On education, the chief minister apprised that the normal Teacher's Diary has been converted into Digital Teacher’s Diary this year with a view to have better monitoring of the teachers' learning processes in the government schools, adding that there are a number of other initiatives for improving the learning environment, including the cluster schools being taken up under the World Bank-funded programme.
He stated that the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has successfully accredited 33 out of 69 colleges in Nagaland and many colleges are in the pipeline. The technical education sector saw a boost with the obtaining of National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for a period of three years by Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu and Government Polytechnic Kohima. The Wokha Polytechnic will begin the academic session from 2022-23, Rio informed.
Under SANKALP project, the government is establishing one Entrepreneurs Development Centre on pilot basis in collaboration with Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Guwahati at Government ITI Complex, Kohima, to promote local entrepreneurs, the CM said.
It will also create a support mechanism to the enterprising youths to succeed and become job creators. Further, a "School of Excellence" in skill development at Govt. Higher Secondary School, Zubza is being established, he added.
The construction of ‘Naga Patient House’ will commence this year, on 10,000 sq. ft. plot of land near CMC Vellore, which was freely allotted to the Nagaland government by the government of Tamil Nadu.
In Shillong too, the construction of patient’s house will commence from this year, on an alternative plot measuring 2.4 acres just 500 meters away from NEIGRIHMS, which was provided by the Government of Meghalaya.
The Naga patient’s house at Dibrugarh, Assam, is also expected to be completed within three months’ time. Two flat-type rental housing complexes were inaugurated this month at Marepkong, Mokokchung; three more such rental housing complexes are expected to be inaugurated within a few months’ time, the CM said.
Major projects such as the multilevel car parking at Old NST and Medical Directorate, slum redevelopment within the ABD wards and upgrading of Kohima local ground are expected to get completed within a year, he informed
The Industries Department has initiated proper documentation of the traditional attires, designs and motifs for obtaining the Geographical Indication registration, he said. Under the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM), a total of 1, 11, 702 lakh women have been mobilised into 12,691 Self-Help Groups, and 1,084 village-level federation and 49 cluster-level federations have been promoted till date.
Under PMGSY, road length of 198.47 km and 43 bridges have been completed, and in 2022-23, another 262 km of road length and five bridges are expected to be completed.
The deputy commissioner (DC) office complexes at Phek and Zunheboto will be completed soon, he said, adding that the construction of DC office complexes at Noklak and Shamator will begin shortly.
On transparency and good governance, he said that the Personal Information Management System (PMIS) for the government employees has been strengthened while Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) has started functioning.
Apprising how Nagaland Legislative Assembly Secretariat became the first in the country to operationalise paperless assembly proceedings under E-Vidhan initiative, Rio said that they have also now moved towards online mode of issuing of ILP for all categories.
On entrepreneurship, he said an e-commerce platform known as Yellow Chain has been launched for the local entrepreneurs and an MoU was signed with GiZ (Germany) and Dhriiti last year to create an ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Nagaland through ‘Her & Now Project’.
He also stated that the capacity enhancement of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Dimapur for DNA analysis and Cyber Forensics has been taken up during the year.
He said a "Cabinet Select Committee" will be constituted for resolving border disputes with neighbouring states.
He also emphasised on the need to attract investments for harnessing the state's rich natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, effectively and sustainably.
On the youth and sports front, the chief minister apprised that the government is focused on developing modern indoor stadiums at Tuensang, Noklak, Niuland, Tseminyu and Chumoukedima districts; multipurpose stadiums at Wokha, Longleng and Kohima; and astroturf football grounds in Mon, Peren and Mokokchung districts.
He also said that the people can benefit from the state's first Regional Centre of Sporting Excellence.