Kohima, April 24 (MExN): The ‘special provision’ under Article 371-A made for Nagaland State through the Constitution of India poses “neither ambiguity nor confusion” for the “furtherance of development.” In fact, it is ‘top to bottom’ corruption that has been an impediment to development of the State. This was stated by the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) in a press statement from its media cell today.
NTC reiterated that citizens of the State are “proud of the constitutional status under which the land and its resources belong to the indigenous people of Nagaland.” In other words, “the land does not belong to the State as it is in other States/Union territories of Indian Union.”
Wondering what could have contributed to the lack of development after 53 years of statehood, the NTC reminded that Clause (a) of sub-clause (iv) of Art 371-A says that ‘no Act of Parliament in respect of ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.’
“Under this provision, the law framing body which is the State Legislative Assembly has every power at its disposal to make or review any law suiting and developmental friendly in Nagaland,” stated the NTC. To this effect, it said, a law pertaining to ownership of land in Nagaland was enacted under the title of ‘The Nagaland Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Act of 1978’. Its Section 2(2) reads ‘Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law, usage, contract or agreement no person (other than the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland) shall acquire or possess by transfer, exchange, lease, agreement of settlement of any land in any area or areas constituted into belts or blocks in contravention of the provisions of Sub-Section(1).’
In that, “the Govt. of Nagaland can conveniently make laws and frame rules on land use in the interest of development,” the Council extrapolated. So, whatever “hitches” relating to land issues that may crop up from time to time can be “tackled by administration” and “hiccups” cannot be considered “roadblocks” to developments, it asserted. Branding Article 371-A as an “impediment” by Nagaland State representatives, stated the NTC, is an “excuse for development stagnation.”
The NTC reiterated that the impediment to development in Nagaland today is “nothing but corruption from top to bottom irrespective of politicians or bureaucrats.”
“The lack of integrity in the Government and its machineries, selfishness, senselessness, tribalism, nepotism and greed of power and wealth are the impediments to progress,” it said.
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