True progress evading Naga society, says KT Sukhalu

Dimapur, Dec. 11 (EMN): Advisor of School Education and SCERT, KT Sukhalu, asserted that progress of any society depends on the amount of cooperation and unity that its members are willing to put in. He, however, stated that true progress has evaded the Naga society in general and the Sümi community in particular because the community itself is broken within.

Sukhalu stated this while inaugurating the village gate in Asukhomi village under Zunheboto district on December 7, an update informed.

Commenting that Asukhomi village has produced many officers and leaders both in the past and present, he expressed hope that such a trend would continue and the village would progress and prosper even in the future.

Pointing out that government of Nagaland “has a salaried budget and not a development budget,” he also recounted how the COVID-19 pandemic has put a brake on all kinds of works in the state as the inflow of funds from the centre was affected thereby affecting the state government’s developmental plans on many levels.

While the situation has improved at present, he stated that the people should keep the circumstances of the pandemic years in mind and work in tandem with the government.

Sukhalu recounted the chief minister, Neiphiu Rio’s, visit to Satakha in March last year, during which time Rio purportedly said that there has been inconsistency of leadership among the Sümi community because the people have been ‘cutting down trees without giving them a chance to bear fruit.’

He said the purpose of rehashing the chief minister’s words was to remind the people that they are responsible for creating an ecosystem for leadership development.

Taking the example of Zunheboto district where the political leadership has been inconsistent for the last three decades, he called upon the community to not only look for personal benefits alone but retrospect and find a way to choose leaders who will take the community forward.

“We cannot compete or participate within the broader society if we are broken within,” he added.

Focusing on Zunheboto’s specific issues, the advisor stated that a proposal has been put up at the SLEC to change the name of the Government High School in Zunheboto to Xuvishe Memorial Government Higher Secondary School, in honour of Xuvishe, a native of Asukhomi village. He also encouraged the Asukhomi people to make plans to develop the government’s fishery in the village and other scenic areas in and around their jurisdiction to promote tourism.