Government moots Rs 300 crores as initial investment for Model town
Morung Express News
August 16
DIMAPUR: With the State Government reportedly in favor of a site that is free from any land dispute for the proposed Peren district headquarter, the site verification officials have given a positive appraisal for Jalukie town and the possibility that it could cater to the requirements needed for housing a district headquarter. The verification report, a copy of which The Morung Express was able to obtain, made the observations that Jalukie town had more or less an established urban infrastructure; that it had two colleges, four high schools, a State Bank of India branch and a Co-operative Bank functioning. The report also stated that Jalukie was a fast developing service town, and that if the contiguous areas could be acquired, a mini-Secretariat could well be established to house district offices while another ‘chunk’ of land could be purchased for departmental quarters to reduce expenditure towards the establishment of the proposed headquarter. The site verification report further viewed that development cost in Jalukie, located in the plains would also be much cheaper and cost-effective comparing to potential investments into developmental works in the hilly terrain of the other two sites proposed, namely New Peren Kezanglwa and Lamhai Dungki. The report observed that development of both the sites in terms of infrastructure would involve huge amount of resources. It is pertinent to mention that the site verification officials, Mikah Lomi DC Peren, Ken Keditsu Chief Town Planner, J Arem Aier Joint Development Commissioner and K.Theunuo EE Commissioner’s Office, visited the proposed sites on July 2, 2005.
The site verification officials as directed by the Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner after visiting the different sites submitted its findings and recommendations to the Commissioner. The Site Selection Committee consists of the Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Nagaland as Chairman, while the Deputy Commissioners of Kohima and Peren, Joint Development Commissioner, Chief Town Planner, PHED Engineer and EE Commissioner are the other members. The final report and recommendation on the selection of a site for Peren’s new HQ would be submitted to the State Government by the Commissioner after a thorough review.
Meanwhile, highly-placed sources in the State Government has disclosed that the NPF-led DAN government would be investing in phases for the proposed new district headquarters in Peren with the necessary financial sanction accrued directly from the Centre. According to the sources, whichever headquarter is selected as the Peren district headquarters, the Government was mooting an initial investment of around Rs 300 Crores for the first phase. The final outlay worked out could be a whooping Rs. 1015 Crore should the investment be streamlined. The Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio is reported to be “ready to fight for funds from the Central Government so that the aspiration to make Peren Headquarter a Model District is realized at the earliest.” The Chief Minister could not be contacted for comment.
The pros and cons of:
New Peren Kezanglwa
• Centrally located with a ‘panoramic view of the district’
• Cooler climate since it was located on a hillock
• Provision of infrastructure will be higher
• Too far from service-towns like Dimapur, Kohima
Lamhai Dungki
• located nearer to service-towns like Jalukie , Dimapur and Kohima
• plateau-like terrain and therefore more conducive for developmental purposes
• development costs would be higher than in plains.
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