Lists six areas for economic progress of Nagaland
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | March 15
President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam today listed six areas which he said can promote economic progress of the state. “I visualize Nagaland to be an economically developed state well before 2020 with the natural environment,” the president said in his address at the 2nd Convocation of Nagaland University here at Nagaland Secretariat Plaza.
Tourism development, hotel industry, training of the people by expanding the infrastructure, topped the list.
Promotion of handicraft products with technology infusion formed the second area, followed by industrial growth- particularly in the areas of horticulture and floriculture, agriculture with herbal and aromatic plants, bamboo and value added products and the knowledge products with core competence in English and environment.
Saying that Nagaland completed 43 years of statehood on December 26, 2006, the President said “The dream of the youth has to be the dream of Nagaland. Nagaland is the land of the young. Atleast 50 per cent of the people are below 25 years. It is a beautiful state with unique tradition of tribal structure, community organization and strong bonds that connect people to people. I understand the society has strong social bonding and community spirit and the absence of caste and social discrimination,” Dr. Kalam said.
India is indeed a multi-cultural nation, absorbing many cultures from many parts of the world, Dr. Kalam said. “I see in you, Nagaland is a part of our great cultural tradition. Indeed Nagaland is the gateway between one billion plus people to 0.5 billion people of ASEAN countries. This 1.5 billion people have to play a great role in the progress of various societies in the 21st century,” said Dr. Kalam.
Dr. Kalam also stated that Nagaland is indeed at the front line in India’s Look East Policy. “Fortunately, you have mastered in English language and creative skills. This language is connecting the progressive economic and technological world,” Dr. Kalam said adding that Nagaland is one of the states which can play a very important role in India’s programme of World Knowledge Platform.
“World Knowledge Platform”, Dr. Kalam said, “will integrate the core competencies of the partner countries to develop knowledge products. This platform will enable joint design, development, cost effective production and marketing of the knowledge products in various domains based on the core competence of partner nations to international market. “World Knowledge Platform is a meeting place for science, technology, industry and management,” the president added.
Nagaland University, the president said, has the mission to partner in the development of Nagaland, particularly, by building the capacity among the students to meet the economic challenges.
A good educational model is the need of the hour to ensure that the students grow to contribute towards the economic growth of a nation, he said adding “Normally, research, technology and performance in the three sectors namely agriculture, manufacturing and services lead to economic growth.”
To realize this, special capacities are required to be built in the education system for nurturing the students, Dr. Kalam said adding that the capacities which are required to be built are research and enquiry, creativity and innovation, use of high technology, entrepreneurial and moral leadership.
The president also asserted that every student in colleges should learn how to use latest technologies for aiding their learning process. Universities should equip themselves with adequate computing equipments, laboratory equipments and internet facilities and provide an environment for students to enhance their learning ability, he said.
Referring to entrepreneurship, Dr. Kalam said the aptitude for entrepreneurship should be cultivated right from the beginning and in the university environment. “We must teach our students to take calculated risks for the sake of larger gain, but within the ethos of good business. They should also cultivate a disposition to do things right. This capacity will enable them to take up challenging tasks later.”
Dr Kalam also said the Nagaland University has to become partner in the development missions of Nagaland by knowledge planning knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination among the students who will be executing the missions after completing their education “It is important for Nagaland to structure the University education system which will empower the young people of Nagaland to state up entrepreneurial careers.
Congratulating the graduates, the president conveyed best wishes to the Nagaland University for success in their mission of providing value based quality education to the youth of Nagaland. Dr. Kalam gave away award to Ph.D. certificates, gold medals and merit prize to the candidates during the convocation.
In his exhortation, Nagaland Governor K. Sankaranarayanan said that intellectual engines of the society and as they prepare the students for the requirements of today, they also push the frontiers of the possibilities of tomorrow. He said that the success of the University depends on a single-minded pursuit of excellence.
Stating that till date, Nagaland is not in the map of professional education, the Governor said that the state government, the University administration, the teachers and the students must join together in their efforts to improve the infrastructure, start new disciplines and achieve higher standards of learning. He said that the success will be judged by the demand for the students for the job within and outside Nagaland, in public or private sector. He further said that success will also be indicated by our ability to attract increasingly bright students and faculty from within and outside the state.
State Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio said that in a single tenure, the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has visited the state twice which is an indication of his great concern for Nagaland as well as the northeast areas in general. He said that the President is a great scholar and scientist fired with visions for making India a developed nation.
Rio said that he has a vision of seeing Nagaland University emerging as a centre of excellence. He said that our rich heritage of culture and tradition, our rich biodiversity and natural resources offers an unexplored paradise to scholars for academic research. ‘With the new ‘Look East Policy’ of the Government of India the University can play a vital role in forging working relationships with other south east Asian countries and their Universities by introducing studies or oriental languages as well as international trade etc, Rio added.
In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor Nagaland, Prof. K. Kannan informed that UGC has approved the Nagaland University to start full time M.Phil and Ph.D programmes by providing scholarship of Rs 3000/- pm and Rs 5000/- pm respectively in addition to contingency grants. He also said that the University has utilized/committed all the funds provided by the UGC under 10th Five Year Plan for all three campuses.
Stating that the headquarters of Nagaland University at Lumami is expected to be fully functional in all aspects by 2008, the Vice Chancellor also said that the University campus at Kohima (Meriema) is being planned to get all the scattered departments, in a single campus by the end of 2007.
(With inputs from DIPR)
