Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUNE 29
For Nagaland to move forward, it will much depend on accurate statistics and a vibrant statistical system.
This statement was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Economics & Statistics and Municipal Affairs, R. Tohanba, on Monday, June 29, during the 9th National Statistics Day program in Kohima town. The program conducted in the office premises of the department of Statistics in the capital town.
Gracing the function as the chief guest, Tohanba in his address said that ‘Statistics is the mirror of the State and nation’ as it reflects all the systems and functions of the government in different aspects.
“The statistics are the eyes of the planner. In the absence of accurate statistics, the State would be a back bencher for which we need a vibrant statistical system,” Tohanba remarked.Stating that the Statistics department deals with many mechanisms of all other departments in the State, the Parliamentary Secretary also regarded it as one of the most important department, for which he also urged every officers and staffs to impart the true ethics of work culture and further do their duties diligently.
“This department being the nodal department in the State to collect data for dissemination of adequate statistics, the officials and staffs must execute their duties diligently with dedication so that what the department produces may be fruitful and benefits the other departments,” he said.
He cautioned that “a slight mistake of the statistics and data may turn every hard work of the department to void.”
Tohanba also urged the competent statisticians and related professionals to maintain the standard of integrity in presenting the official statistics in the attempt to manage the statistical systems for a better tomorrow.
Speaking on the theme “Environmental impact on socio-economic development”, Amba Jamir, executive director of Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN), underlined the need for availability of reliable and consistent data or statistics as ‘very crucial’ for dealing with the challenges of today’s world.
He maintained that data gathering and its availability are two critical and challenging issues that are being dealt with at the global level. He informed that the United Nations has set up a specific group in 2013, to look at broadening its data gathering as part of a wider trend looking to embrace partnerships that can provide regular evidence of development progress.
“The development, especially of an inclusive and equitable development of any society is always hampered when the socio-economic opportunities and privileges are not balanced or transparent,” he stated.
He went on to say that poverty, destruction of the environment and the growing gap in wealth, camouflaged by corruption or non-transparency are some of the biggest evils that damages the environment and hamper the development of any society.
Sharing his concern on the tremendous land-use change occurring in Nagaland, Jamir also pointed out the need to have statistical evidences of such changes.
“Land-use change is arguably the most pervasive socio-economic force driving changes and degradation of ecosystems and that forest provide many ecosystem services which gets reduced or destroyed when forests are converted to agriculture or urban development.” This he said while stating that it is imperative to have the correct statistical evidence of the potential economic, social and environmental impacts of such land-use changes.
“Many processes in mountain states like ours are still poorly understood, and the few data and statistics available are disaggregated. Most data available with the government have been based upon expenditure planning and with very little investigative or analytical data,” he said maintaining that climate change and the increasing incidence if natural hazards calls for new types and sources of information.
He voiced out that improved understanding of the socio-cultural and institutional framework and of policy and decision-making processes is necessary to direct development efforts, tap the potential for innovations, facilitate more interdisciplinary and applied research, information exchange and enable the use of synergies to fill existing knowledge gaps.
“If ‘development’ in our State is not planned well, it will have tremendous long term impact not just on the environment but definitely on our State’s socio-economic development too,” Jamir cautioned adding
“Unfortunately, the scale of rampant, unplanned and unmonitored developments are increasing almost everywhere unchecked and that means no reliable data to even project impacts, leave aside planning for the future.”
Pointing out that the challenges ahead demand vision and boldness, he also called for popular support. “This will only be realized if ideas connect with heart emotion and statistics relate to ground realities,” he said.
The 9th National Statistics day programme was also attended by Kevileno Angami, secretary, Department of Economics & Statistics, who delivered the welcome address. The programme was chaired by Y. Sacheo Ovung, director, Economics & Statistics.
