New Delhi, June 17 (MExN): Chief Minister of Nagaland State, Neiphiu Rio, attended the 4th meeting of the Governing Council of the Niti Aayog and proposed a set of measures to the agency that “would go a long way in making the North East an equal partner in the transformation of the nation to a New India by 2022.”
Sunday’s Niti Aayog meeting was held in New Delhi and was chaired by Prime Minister of the Indian Union, Narendra Modi.
“The challenge today is to ensure growth and development that is balanced, inclusive and meets the regional aspirations of people specially in the remotest corners of the country. States like Nagaland, with difficult terrain, have special needs with respect to building infrastructure and ensuring sufficient resources for the development needs of the people,” stated Rio in his speech on Sunday. He was one of the few, if not the only, North East chief minister in attendance at the meeting given the grim flooding crisis in the rest of the states.
Further, Rio noted that “With the prospects of the final settlement to Naga Political Issue being near, people of the State are looking to Government of India for providing support for growth and development.”
Following are the points in toto raised by Rio according to a press release from Kuolie Mere, PRO (IPR), Nagaland House, New Delhi.
Agriculture
Nagaland is a predominantly agrarian State and share of Agriculture and allied sectors in State’s GDP is almost 30%. Around 70% of the people are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Even though the productivity of Jhum based agriculture is limited, the strength of the State lies in its organic farm produce, flowers, fruits and vegetables.
In order to ensure that farmers incomes are doubled, the State needs to provide market linkages for the produce, as also train farmers in packaging and preservation of fruits, flowers and vegetables. Support for processing the organic produce of the State will also help augment incomes and help the State move up the value chain. With an enabling environment, it is expected that youth will take up agriculture as a profitable profession.
The Nagaland State Agriculture Marketing Board (NSAMB) is implementing e-NAM in the State. Once the Agriculture Produce & Livestock Marketing Act and Contract Farming & Service Act is approved and notified, the existing APMC in the districts will be revamped and reconstituted as per the new Acts. This will pave the way to resolve the long-standing problem of Agriculture Marketing in the State to some extent. The State is implementing the Soil Health Card Scheme also and so far 50,135 Soil Health Cards out of a target of 55,705 have been distributed.
Under MGNREGS, only water conservation works are being taken up in June and July, and a minimum of 2480 water conservation works will be completed by June 2018.
Health Care & Immunization
With the launch of Special Intensified Mission Indradhanush, full immunization has gone up from 26% in 2015 to 61% now and we are hopeful to achieve 90% full immunization by December 2018. Nagaland has a shortage of specialist doctors and even with Prime Minister Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Yojana; the State needs tie ups with super specialty hospitals as also support for air ambulances for people to access quality health care. 56 Sub Centres in the State are being converted to Health and Wellness Centres – the two centres in the Aspirational District of Kiphire will be operationalised by August 2018.
Aspirational Districts
“We have Kiphire district as an Aspirational and the State Government is ensuring that the district comes up on the various identified indicators and parameters,” noted Neiphiu Rio, but “we also have districts like Mon which would perhaps need a greater focus than the identified Kiphire district.” In view of this the Nagaland CM requested Niti Aayog to include Mon district in the Aspirational Districts Scheme. “On our part, we are using the same methodology to identify Aspirational Blocks in the State and focus on bringing them up on various identified parameters,” he said.
Swachh Bharat & Open Defecation Free
Along with rest of the nation, Nagaland is implementing Swachh Bharat Scheme and the State is expected to be declared Open Defecation Free by October 2, 2018.
Special issues relating to Nagaland
Greenfield Airport for Kohima, being the only State Capital in the country without an airport.
Economic Package for ENPO for creation of infrastructure, hospitals, training institutes to help them catch up with rest of the nation.
Sports Package for Nagaland – This year Nagaland is commemorating the birth centenary of Dr T Ao and setting up a Football Academy in his honour. "I urge Government of India to provide support for setting up of sports infrastructure in the State. This would help channelize the energy of youth in a positive manner."
Finally, Neiphiu Rio appealed improving connectivity – roads, railways and air – and also Internet connectivity for better physical integration with the mainland.
