Prof GT Thong
Lower Agri Colony
Vocational courses should seriously be includedin the curriculum. For instance, High Schools can have animal husbandry courses for those interested, which does not require much investment as the trainings can be imparted by farmers involved in the trade, at their convenient time, as their contribution to society.It is time for public participation in education. Other courses may include agricultural practices, various other trades, technical trainings, etc. This will ensure that the students will one day be self-employed or become successful entrepreneurs.Setting up more instituteson the ITI pattern to train young people in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrification, painting, etc. is the need of the hour. Most of these categories of employees are from outside the state at present. This is the reason our resources are being drained out of Nagaland. A fully trained workforce comprising people of Nagaland would ensure that in any future pandemic, the people of Nagaland are in the state, and not stranded outside, as at present. This will also ensure that the workforce from outside will be negligible, so the management of migrant labourers is minimal. Most of our resources will also remain within Nagaland.
The people of Nagaland should be encouraged to cultivate their/community land, rear cattle, involve in horticulture, pisciculture, etc. With proper management and use of organic manure, Nagaland probably has sizeable cultivable tracts to produce enough rice to feed the bulk of the population, besides producing vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, fish, etc.Factories can be set up by local entrepreneurs for production of tea, oil, flour andspices, to name a few.But to effectively achieve this, the government should ensure the market. Thistranslates into breaking the backbone of the existing syndicates that have destroyed the market of the agrarian society of Nagaland. All the criminals and their notorious gangs involved in these illegal businesses should be prosecuted and thrown behind bars. But can the GoN do it? Where there’s a will, there’s a way!This has been a long standing demand of the ACAUT and others.If local produce has a booming market, migration to the urban areas will drastically reduce, except for employment, education, etc. In fact, it is desirable that the trend is reversed, becauserapidly growing urban populations put pressure on the environment through demand for resources such as land, water and energy. Moreover, our young people would not have to go out of the state in search of jobs, as Nagaland itself would have huge potential. If our agricultural marketcan be sustained, imports can be drastically cut down. In the event of another situation like the present, there would be no cause for worryas we would have enough food and the population that really matters, the weaker sections, would be home, safe and sound. This would also lead to huge savings for our Government and prosperity for Nagaland.This however, requires proper and massive planning, which will ensure a future of adequate shelter, food, water, sanitation, health and other basic amenities. This can also be achieved without compromising the natural environment. For all this, it is vital that the legislations and policies are implemented in letter and spirit.Rural development, in the true sense, and poverty alleviation are a must.
Another problem this time is the large number of students who are outside the state for education. Setting up of Engineering and Medical colleges and a host ofother institutes,and upgrading those already in existence would ensure that most of our students, particularly those from the lessprivileged class, donot have to go out of the state. Good and well-equipped hospitals anda Medical College will definitely deter patients from going out for treatment, which was also a cause for concern this time.
The massive population growth due to huge influx ofillegal immigrants has caused great upheavalsin society,leading to the sidelining of the citizensof the state and bringing to the fore, a host of problems.Further check of immigration is as important today as recognising and deporting these people, without exception. Most of our resources are shared with the illegal immigrants, thereby depriving the weaker, rightful citizens. Herbert Spencer’s thoughts ring true here: “The deserving poor are among those who are burdened to pay the costs of caring for the undeserving poor”.
The Nagaland Government job sector is super saturated. The private sector is virtually non-existent. Self employment isan option, but without the ominous presence of the friendly neighbourhood,AK-47-wielding, gunman lurking in the shadows for his hefty cut, even if the profit margin is very low or there are no sales.Moreover, to start a venture, capital is required. No point in giving the youth’slong sermons on the merits of self-employment, when they have no means. The only way forward is to help entrepreneurs by adequately training and providing them soft loans for their projects. One self-employed youth will employ dozens if everything goes well. Our past was very filthy, with a few having looted the treasury with impunity. Even the little granted by the GoIfor the weakest of the weak had been pocketed by some of the wealthy. However, whatever happened has happened. Let us now give to society what belongs to society.The funds granted by the GoI for specific purposes, should reach there.
If we act promptly and sincerely, why should we always be parked in Delhi for extra funds? We can, and should be nearly self-sufficient. The human population in 1999 was 6 billion and in 2019 it exceeded7.7 billion; the projected population for 2050 is 9.7 billion. This is bad news for all governments of the world that are already struggling. The GoI is no exception and therefore, cannot and will notbe generous with us forever. This is a wake-up call to be self-reliant, which alone can make us self-sufficient. This in turn will ensure that our funds are not drained outside; it is important that our money circulates within Nagaland.
The government also has to play a proactive role in imparting technical expertise for large scale soil conservation and regeneration, bio-fertiliser production, irrigation, watershed management and water harvesting. Public awareness on numerous other issues and on the dignity of labour is equally important. We definitely have sound economists in the state and in the region and professionals from a wide range of disciplines to advice, if the government is serious.
Thank You Corona, for showing us the light!
