EMN
Dimapur, May 28
Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang urged the Centre not to unilaterally abrogate the special category status to Nagaland at this juncture when Naga political issue is yet to be resolved.
He said this at the 3rd meeting of the sub-group of chief ministers on Rationalism of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in Bhopal today.
The meeting of the sub-group of chief ministers constituted by the Prime Minister examined the restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes and made recommendations to the government of India.
Zeliang made a power-point presentation before the sub-group, wherein he highlighted the special and unique status of Nagaland even amongst the Special Category States. He said that Nagaland was created through a political agreement between the government of India and the Naga People’s Convention in what is popularly known as the 16-Point Agreement of 1960, and that the special category status of Nagaland should not be unilaterally abrogated by the government of India at this juncture, when the Naga political issue is yet to be resolved.
Chief Minister also highlighted the impact of the 13th Finance Commission during the meeting and said that Nagaland along with other states had to pass through difficult times during the period covered by the 13th Finance Commission.
He further said that if the central government is not going to continue with Normal Central Plan Assistance to the states, then all CSS schemes should be funded 100% by the central government in respect of Nagaland and other NE states, and this should also apply for all schemes funded by NLCPR and NEC.
Zelaing strongly pleaded for continuation of police modernisation scheme and BRGF with central funding.
“Today the whole nation, including the people of the Northeast states have high hope and expectation from the NDA government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narandra Modi” he said.
He added that “if the first full-fledged budget of the NDA is the removal of special category status for Northeast sStates, along with the financial benefits and concessions earlier given under the previous regime, it will lead to great deal of disappointment among the Northeast people”.
The chief minister said the NITI Aayog needs to do some serious thinking and come out with positive suggestions to see that the Northeast also be full partakers of the good days ahead under our able and visionary prime minister.
Concluding his presentation he said that infrastructural facilities in northeast region are still in bad shape, and pleaded for larger central investments in creating the infrastructures in northeast region, so that the “achhe din” promised by the prime minister would become a reality for the people of the northeast region.
Earlier, chairman delivered a brief welcome address, presentation was given by CEO and a special time was given to Nagaland during which a power-point presentation was presented by Chief Minister TR Zeliang followed by general discussion. The 3rd meeting at Bhopal was hosted S.S. Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Convenor of the Sub-group.
The chief minister was accompanied by Khriehu Liezietsu, Parliamentary Secretary, Youth Resources and Sports, Lalthara, Adviser & Sr. Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Nagaland and officials of finance and planning department.
