EMN
Dimapur, JULY 22
Chief Minister of Nagaland, also the Leader of the House and Minister in-charge of Finance, T.R. Zeliang in his budget speech 2014-15, which was presented in the floor of the house Tuesday conveyed the government’s decision for constituting the State Investment Board in order to attract investors to the State. He said that the State Investment Board would act as a State Nodal Agency and single window facilitation for attracting private investments in the State.
He reminded that without peace in the state, economic progress would always remain an uphill task. “The proposed State Investment Board will also find it very difficult to attract investors to the state, unless we create a peaceful and congenial political climate, free from extortions and illegal tax demands etc”, he maintained. He reiterated that DAN III government continues to give the highest priority to peaceful resolution of the more than six-decade-old Naga political issue. He further stated that the DAN III government continues to stand committed to play the role of facilitator in the peace process to pave way for any alternative arrangement of the Naga political issue.
He also informed about the request by the Political Affairs Committee of DAN III to the Speaker NLA for re-constituting the Joint Legislators’ Forum on Naga Political issue to enable the members of the House to collectively play a more meaningful role in facilitating the peace process, irrespective of political affiliations.
He expressed appreciation of the constructive roles played by the various Naga tribal bodies, the churches, the NGOs and civil societies in maintaining a peaceful atmosphere in the state. Further, in his budget speech he expressed gratitude to the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) for their tireless efforts to unite the different Naga Nationalist groups and to maintain peace amongst themselves and in the society at large.
T.R. Zeliang expressed optimism that the BJP-led NDA government under the leadership of Narendra Modi, would display the required political will and courage to finally resolve the long pending Naga political issue thereby fulfilling the long felt desire of the Naga people for peace in the State.
The Chief Minister also felt the need for re-examining the way in which our resources are being invested in the developmental process, so that we could focus on our strengths and address the weak areas. Stating that the State continues to be weak in critical infrastructure like road connectivity and power due to scarce resources at our disposal. T.R. Zeliang however was hopeful that with the change of guard at the Centre, the Central Government would now take concrete steps in addressing Nagaland’s developmental needs in a tangible manner.
He further spelled out that intention of the Government saying that developmental funds of the state would be distributed among all the sectors and districts in an equitable manner, to ensure that development reaches all the corners of the State.
