Sitharaman highlights development push for Kiphire, inaugurates ITI and attends credit outreach

KIPHIRE — Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government remains committed to advancing development in Kiphire and other aspirational districts, underscoring the Centre’s focus on Northeast under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at a credit outreach programme organised by the State Bank of India (SBI), she said Kiphire’s unique history and cultural identity deserved sustained investment, adding that the district’s potential in agriculture, tourism and skill development should be further strengthened.

Highlighting the region’s natural and economic assets, she described Saramati as a symbol of hope and endurance for the district. She also pointed to the apples grown at Thanamir village at 2,000 metres above sea level—said to be the only place in the Northeast where apples are cultivated—and mentioned the lime caves of Mimi and the Zingki River, which she said hold promise for adventure tourism such as rafting and canoeing.

Sitharaman expressed a wish to visit Pungro sub-division in future.

The minister said the Centre’s development priorities were reflected in the repeated visits of senior leaders to the Northeast, noting that the prime minister had visited the region 70 times, while Union ministers had together made over 700 visits.

Also read: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits Kiphire, flags off bike ambulances under SBI CSR initiative

She said this demonstrated the importance placed on the region, which the prime minister calls “Ashtalakshmi”.

Referring to improvements in financial inclusion, she said that in 2019, more than 1,100 villages in Nagaland had limited access to formal banking services, but the number has dropped to 15.

During the programme, nine bank branches were virtually inaugurated across the Northeast, of which three are in Nagaland. She also dedicated an SBI ATM at Y Junction in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, described as being at the second highest altitude in India and the third highest in the world.

Sitharaman appreciated SBI, SIDBI, NABARD and several private corporations for their CSR work in the hill districts.

She invited young people from Nagaland to make use of upcoming training opportunities in Dimapur and Kohima in fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics, moving beyond conventional skilling avenues.

Earlier in the day, the finance minister visited Anganwadi Centre A at Forest colony, where she interacted with workers, mothers and children.

There, Sitharaman encouraged workers to continue strengthening early childhood care and thanked them for their contributions. The short event concluded with closing remarks from the chairperson.

She later inaugurated the Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Kiphire, located along Tuensang Road. The establishment of the new institute, she said, was an important step towards improving skill development infrastructure and expanding opportunities for young people in the district.

During the function, MLA and Advisor Moatoshi Longkumer delivered the keynote address, underscoring the government’s commitment to building technical education facilities in remote regions. MLA and Advisor S Kiusumew Yimchunger said the institute was a long-awaited development for the district and would help address gaps in vocational training and employment readiness.

The event also featured the handing over of computer sets to the ITI and the distribution of financial assistance from SBI. Officials described the contributions as a boost for digital literacy and practical training in the institute.

During the credit outreach programme, symbolic cheques were handed to beneficiaries under various credit, grant and CSR schemes. SBI reported that CSR activities worth approximately INR 98 lakh had been carried out for Kiphire district during the visit.

Our correspondent

Longtili Sangtam