The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about numerous changes in our day to day life and to keep the virus Covid-19 from spreading the government had and is doing all it possibly can in our state. Lockdowns, containment zones, social distancing etc have become the in-thing of the day. To cut a long story short, the nearest banking facility available for the people of Viswema and the surrounding villages is at the SBI Jakhama which is inside the Army Camp. Now, with this pandemic, both the public and army do not feel safe visiting the bank inside the camp. The banking facilities available in the area are –One SBI branch with ATM inside the Army Camp and an ATM ( South Indian Bank) at St. Joseph College, Jakhama and the third ATM (SBI) is inside the Chakhabama Army Camp.ic. one Bank and three ATM’s for the whole region !
The Southern Angami area is well known for its terrace rice, organic potatoes, vegetables, fruits, wild vegetables, honey, stones, timber and minor forest produce, brine etc. besides being a growing tourist destination. The annual Nagaland Hornbill Festival is conducted at Kisama while the Manipur Cherry Festival is conducted at Mao; located at a stone throw away from Khuzama village. The entry points to Dzukou valley, Kezoltsa, Tempu mountain and Japfu mountain; often visited by tourists are located in this region. The National highway 29 connecting Dimapur and Imphal via Kohima, and the State highways connecting Kohima with Phek and Kiphire districts passes through this region. Inspite of all these potentials and the large population with educational institutions and health care facilities plus the Army Camps at Zakhama-Kigwema and Chakhabama, there are no banking facilities in the area except the one at Jakhama Army Camp and the three ATM’s mentioned above.
Therefore, I would request the authorities look into the public grievances and mitigate the their sufferings by setting up an SBI branch at Viswema and ATM’s at Prayer Park junction Kidima, Phesama and Khuzama villages to reduce the sufferings of the public in availing the benefits of banking such as day to day transactions, loans, government programs and PM’s schemes etc. which will go a long way in uplifting the Southern Angami people.
Rusovil John