EMN
Dimapur, June 6
The lone Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, soon after taking oath on June 5h has wasted no time in outlining his agenda at the Centre. He has been meeting a number of leaders and ministers in New Delhi after taking oath. He met Union Home Minister and National BJP President Rajnath Singh. Rio highlighted the need for early resolution of the Naga political issue in his meeting with Rajnath Singh. He also met Union Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijuju and impressed upon him to expedite the peace process and work towards early resolution of the political problem.
On Thursday, immediately participating in the ongoing Parliament session MP Rio sought the support of newly elected Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in bringing about peace and resolution of the Naga political problem. He stressed the fact that Nagaland is 50 years old and as the lone MP in House he wished the Naga political problem will be seriously discussed and addressed.
Rio earlier congratulated Sumitra Mahajan while extending his facilitations on behalf of Nagaland, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the North East Regional Parties Front (NERPF). He also assured all cooperation to the Chair
Rio highlights poor air connectivity Rio also highlighted the issue of poor air connectivity in Nagaland with the Prime Minister and the union Civil Aviation Minister.
In a letter addressed to the PM, Rio Stated that “at present, only Air India is operating in Dimapur with five flights a week to Kolkata via Dibrugarh. In this regard, he stressed the urgent need to increase air services to Dimapur and also introduction of new flights in this sector in the greater interest of the people.
Rio has also mentioned that the issue is one the State government raked up with the government of India on several occasions. However, the services have only’ deteriorated’, he stated.
The letter also described the poor condition of the sole airport in the State while making a plea for facilities to be immediately improved and upgraded. The MP’s letter also reportedly mentioned that the aircraft operating in the Dimapur sector is old and regularly faces technical problems . This concern, the letter stated, also needs to be addressed urgently.
Rio suggested some immediate actions like introduction of direct flights from Delhi to Dimapur and Dimapur to Delhi via Kolkata, introduction of Dimapur-Guwahati flight and the improvement of facilities in Dimapur Airport.
Rio has also been calling on by a number of senior leaders from all over the country, including both the Members of Parliament from Sikkim, Rajya Sabha MP, S. Reddy, senior officers and representatives of NGOs and civil societies.
He has met with the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Sarbananda Sonowal and highlighted the need to promote sports and youth activities, create employment and entrepreneur opportunities and promote youth empowerment.
Emphasizing on some of the pioneering initiatives of the Nagaland government in the area of youth empowerment, Rio stressed the urgent need to promote the youth of the north eastern region and also address the problems being faced by the people of the Northeast in the rest of the country, especially in the urban metropolitan cities.
Today, Chief Minister TR Zeliang and Rio together met Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati in New Delhi to highlight the air connectivity problems of the State. They also met with Union DONER Minister Gen VK Singh.
