Kohima: The Public Works Department (Road and Bridges) is currently upgrading and taking up construction of 1104 km of roads at an estimated cost of INR 2014 crore in Nagaland, which is expected to complete in the next few years.
This was informed by the Governor of Nagaland, La. Ganesan, on the second day of the ongoing first session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Read: First session of new Nagaland Legislative Assembly begins; members take oath
These roads included six ongoing projects under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) covering a total length of 162 km; five ongoing projects under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) covering a total length of 47 km; 72 km under the Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme; five road projects under the Economic Importance (EI) scheme having a total length of 115 km; five roads and one bridge projects under Inter State Connectivity (ISC) having a total length of 91 km; 42 road projects under Special Assistance to State for Capital Investment (SASCI) of length 409 km; 32 roads covering a total length of 208 km including four bridges under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Out of the ongoing projects, 715 km of road will be completed in 2022-23, 269 km of roads will be completed during 2023-24, and 174 km of road will be completed during 2024-25.
There are 12 National Highways crossing the state of Nagaland covering a total length of 1631 km, out of which 1111 km is entrusted to the Nagaland PWD (NH). The department will also be taking up widening of existing single-lane road to intermediate lane for a total length of 178 km on NH-202.
This include construction of a major bridge at Yei River, improvement and widening of existing lane to intermediate lane of road for a length of 20.64 km between Mokokchung and Chare; and strengthening of existing pavement of NH-36 from Dillia Gate to Tragopan Junction (Dimapur city portion) for a length of 6.88 km, among other projects, he informed.
On the Foothills Road (Trans-Nagaland Expressway)
-- a 320 km stretch of road -- the detailed project report for Phase I and II of the project has been submitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The state government is making necessary efforts to fully establish the medical college at Kohima and start it from the academic year 2023-2024. It is also taking up with the government of India for converting the college into a central institute such as the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, or as an AIIMS-like institute, which would help it to grow further, provide sustainability, as well as address the various capacity constraints.
On agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry
He also informed that the department of Land Resources Development has operationalised Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - Watershed Development Component 2.0 (PMKSY-WDC) 2.0 in five underdeveloped districts namely Tuensang, Noklak, Kiphire, Phek and Peren districts for natural resources management including promotion of high-value plantation crops for economic development.
Department of Soil and Water Conservation has earmarked an amount of INR1684.22 lakh for setting up of four soil testing labs in the newly created districts for promotion and distribution of micronutrients, setting up of bio-fertilisers production units and soil testing and analysis. The department of Sericulture has brought a total of 600 acres of land under silkworm host plant cultivation and silkworm rearing under both state and CSS programmes.
Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture for 2023-24, department of Horticulture is planning to introduce the concept of "Model Horticulture Village" wherein, one village each in all the 16 districts of the state will be identified as a "Model Village" and focus will be given for the cultivation of a single fruit or spice crop based on the economic potentiality and agro-climatic suitability in these villages. The department will be providing an amount of INR 52 crore for this purpose.
More than 1.35 lakh Low Input Technology (LIT) chicks have been distributed to needy farmers from the state poultry farms under the department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary. The poultry birds are expected to generate 337.66 tons of meat.
For further development of the fisheries sector in the state, it will take up three new freshwater finfish hatcheries under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, construction of 50-hectare new rearing ponds, development of 32 backyard ornamental fish units and one integrated fish unit amounting to INR 1500 lakh.
The department of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change will be implementing the School Nursery Yojana covering 36 schools across the state. Under the Nagar Van scheme, three Nagar vans have been established in Kohima and Tuensang town and a proposal to establish another eight Nagar Vans in the state has been submitted to the Ministry, he informed.
The Department of Rural Development under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), generated more than 182 lakh person days in the current financial year and for the FY 2023-24, it envisages to complete 11,881 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin.
Under Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM), five blocks in five districts have been identified for promotion of moringa/drumstick. Under Mission Amrit Sarovar, the department has identified 204 sites; and construction of the Amrit Sarovar works either alone or in convergence with other schemes are being carried out.
On tourism
The Tourism department signed letter of intent with Hotel Polo Towers Pvt. Ltd, Polo Grounds, Shillong for re-development of Kohima Tourist Lodge into Star Category Hotel and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation for opening of budget hotel in the state capital, which is expected to take-off soon. The department also envisages taking up various capacity building programmes for Tourism stakeholders/unemployed youths by collaborating with Tata Consultancy Services and Verna Jyoti Educare as knowledge and learning partners. The state government has identified a ropeway project under the Parvatmala programme for urban decongestion, connecting inaccessible areas and to improve the tourism attractiveness of the state.
Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the department of Urban Development has completed 17 projects out of 27 and remaining 10 on the verge of completion. The AMRUT 2.0 was recently launched with a total expected allocation of INR 176 crore, with the main objective to make all cities/towns 'water secure' and it is proposed to cover all the 39 ULBs in the state.
On disaster management
In order to enhance resilience towards disaster and climate change, the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), will implement the disaster risk reduction roadmap for Nagaland with actionable targets and goals in coordination with 60 departments in the state from 2023 to 2030.
The Department of Food and Civil Supplies is taking initiatives to cover five districts namely Peren, Dimapur, Longleng, Mokokchung and Phek in the state with fortified rice from May 2023 as envisaged by the government of India to achieve 100 percent coverage in the entire country by March 2024 under Phase-III, through targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
During 2023-24, the department of Women Resources Development proposes to undertake community-based resource development programmes for women in the districts, initiation of new programmes targeting business start-ups by women entrepreneurs, short-term training programmes for young women in apparels and accessories production, food processing and setting up of mini processing units for upgrading the skills of women cultivators among others.
On power
The New and Renewable Resources Department is also expected to complete the 5MW solar power plant at Hovukhu Village under Niuland district during 2023-24. The department will also convert 30 government offices in the state having off-grid solar power plants to grid connection.
Nagaland is a power deficit state, he said. Of the state's 180MW peak demand, it relies on imports to meet 95% of its requirement during the lean season and 90% during the monsoon. With an aim to provide stable power supply and strengthen the transmission system in the state, the Power department has constructed substations in various parts of state, practically bringing all districts under Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission network. In this regard, a 132kV Foothill Highway Transmission System Build-up and Strengthening project with a total cost of INR 389.8 crore is being taken up for funding from the Asian Development Bank in the proposed Foothill highway area which has the potential for large scale economic development.
The State Government is pursuing establishment of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Nagaland, which was announced in the Union Budget of 2015- 16, but unfortunately because of various reasons couldn't be taken forward. The government already acquired and earmarked about 200 acres of prime land for setting up the IISER in Sukhovi village in Chumoukedima district.
