CNCCI urges PM Modi to resolve Indo- Naga political issue without delay

Bats for modern warehousing in Dimapur, funding for Foothill road

Dimapur, December 4 (MExN): Resolve the Indo-Naga political issue without further delay, as the business community and the youth of Nagaland yearn to progress with the rest of the country, the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has stated in a representation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While acknowledging Modi’s relentless effort to resolve the long-pending Indo-Naga Political issue, the CNCCI noted that the protracted matter has deeply impacted the economic progress of the state. It has inflicted severe challenges on Nagaland's business community and adversely impacts the perception of the region as "un-conducive for any tangible investment and as a viable business destination," it added.

The CNCCI, the state’s apex business body representing all the District Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Nagaland, further urged for modern warehousing, cold storages, and amenity facility zones to be set up in the plains adjacent to Dimapur for ‘carry and forward, storage, sorting, and dispatch.’

This facility should be equipped with the capacity to accommodate at least 1000 trailers/trucks at any given point in time with adequate Amenity Facilities such as hotels, medical facilities, fuel depots, machinery and vehicle maintenance facilities, shopping complexes, etc., it noted.

As Dimapur is well connected by air, road, and rail, such a facility is befitting for rapid economic development and employment generation in Nagaland, it maintained. Such a facility would not only boost the economy of Nagaland but enhance and encourage more interstate business within and outside North East and boost trade with South East Asian countries through the Act East Policy, it added.

Meanwhile, the Confederation pointed out to the PM that Nagaland has the lowest generator of electricity in the country and is dependent on other states despite 60 years of Statehood and estimated renewable energy potential of 89354.18 MW.

The erratic power supply compared to demand has always been one of the major reasons for the lack of development in the industry and business sector in Nagaland; even the existing businesses and MSMEs suffer and struggle to stay afloat and face huge losses, it pointed out.

Accordingly, it urged Modi to take all necessary initiatives to install at least a power generating capacity of 1000 MW in Nagaland by utilizing the abundant renewable energy in the State.

The CNCCI also requested the PM to help make into reality the creation of a four-lane road for the Foothill Road project measuring 395km stretching across crossing 8 districts of Nagaland.

It further highlighted that while it was initially funded under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) under the Planning Commission, after the establishment of NITI Aayog the funding was discontinued and the project was taken up by the state government considering its economic importance of the road.

As Nagaland is a resource crunch state and the project more than a decade is yet to be materialized, the CNCCI said, requesting Modi’s intervention.

It further noted that the long dreams of India connecting to South East Asian countries though North-East States by road through Asian Highway in consonance to Act East Policy remains to be completed in the stretch between Kohima to Mao Gate (Manipur) covering a distance of 27km.

Hence, it urged the PM to ensure that the remaining stretch is taken up with urgency and completed and make Asian Highway truly worth its name.

The CNCCI also pointed out to the PM that while the railway station in Dimapur is the second-highest revenue-generating station under the Northeast Frontier Railway, it was yet to be connected by the Vande Bharat Train.

“Under your leadership the electrification of railway lines has reached Dimapur and therefore we request you to extend the Vande Bharat Train to Dimapur from Guwahati,” added the CNCCI representation appended by its Chairman Dr Khekugha Muru and General Secretary Dr Seyievilie Mor.