KOHIMA, AUGUST 16 (MExN): On the occasion of the 73rd Independence Day, celebrated at the Secretariat Plaza, Kohima on August 15, Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio called upon the negotiating parties with the Government of India to come together and to rise above all differences and unite, for the sake of the people of Nagaland, adding that now is the most opportune time to unite and expedite the political dialogue for an early, honorable and acceptable solution.
Speaking on the occasion, Rio stated that the Joint Legislators' Forum (JLF) welcomed the appointment of RN Ravi as the Governor of Nagaland and expressed confidence that his appointment will further strengthen and expedite the political negotiations.
He said the State Government has been examining the evolving demands for extending the Inner Line Permit Regulations to the entire state by covering Dimapur. The work towards that has started and is in the process of devising the modalities and framing the necessary rules and regulations. The need to put an end to the menace of issuance of illegal or fake indigenous inhabitant certificates to undeserving people as alleged by many is strictly being examined, he added.
Rio said that the State Government's decision to work for the creation of a Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland or RIIN has been primarily guided by the aforesaid reasons.
The CM further said that to improve the infrastructure and provide other necessities for further enhancing the efficiency and capabilities of police and security agencies, a multi-storied barrack for 300 constable trainees at PTS Chumukedima has been constructed. At Kohima, a new Office of the Inspector General of Police (INT) has also been completed and is being inaugurated today. The Police Communication system of Dimapur District has now been upgraded from analogue to digital system. A Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children Laboratory has also been set up at PTS, Chumukedima. A Special Task Force has also been raised comprising of six platoons for containing extortion, illegal activities and for operational exigencies of the State.
He informed that the Prisons Department is in the process for digitalization of all Jails in the State in collaboration with the State Legal Services Association (SLSA) and National Informatics Centre (NIC), through the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs for E-prisons system.
To transform the education, he said the State Government has fortified the education system by release of grants, distribution of free textbooks, uniforms and mid day meals in all Government schools and by providing assistive devices/hearing aids, spectacles, braille books and curriculum adaption for children with special needs. Students of Government Schools in Kiphire, the Aspirational District, were provided with digital tablets to enhance their learning. The Administrative & Academic Building of the newly constructed New Model Degree College at Wakching, Mon was inaugurated by Prime Minister, NarendraModi on February 3, 2019 through digital launching. Atmospheric Science Research Centre at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma has been established, and the ex-gratia payments for students studying outside the State has also been launched, Rio added.
Meanwhile, under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, 55 Public Hospitals and five Private Hospitals have been empanelled, 76,663 e-cards have been issued, and benefits worth over Rs. 1 crore have already been availed by the beneficiaries till the end of June 2019.
To facilitate agriculture marketing, especially for organic products, construction of an Organic Air Conditioned Market at Agri Expo site, 4th Mile, Dimapur is being undertaken.
Further, the CM noted that the Rural Development Department through MGNREGS provided employment to 3.36 lakh households covering 4.17 lakh individuals in 2018-19.
Under the Road Sector, in the recent past, 48 (Forty eight) number of projects under Special Road Development Programme (SRDP) were completed and five works with the total length of 64.00 Km are in the progress under NABARD. Recently, the NEC has sanctioned four roads for upgradation under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS).
Rio shared that the Ministry of Home Affairs has considered for an additional Helicopter Service and will be covering nine new routes in addition to the 10 existing routes. Keeping the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) on priority, altogether 39 (Thirty nine) Free Passes for travelling in the Department's buses were issued to PwDs during 2018-19, he added.
Other programmes taken up by the government, Rio mentioned, included the Biodiversity Management Project, AMRUT, Smart City project, the Software Technology Park of India (STPI), Green Village Initiative, the 'Plastic Free Nagaland' initiative, the State Startup Policy, developments in the sports sector, music and arts industry, tourism, sericulture etc.
