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Kohima, August 5 (MExN): On the second and last day of the Eighth session of the 13th NLA, on August 5, matter on urgent public importance on post COVID-19 economic recovery was discussed in the house.
According to a DIPR report, ttating that COVID-19 pandemic has a huge impact on economic generation, Minister for Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue, Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu, said the government is giving top-most importance “to retrieve back the economic generation with hard labour and by supporting the people.” He urged all the members for suggestions which can be helpful in bringing back the lost economy.
Minister for Agriculture, G Kaito Aye informed that the State has a huge set back on Agri and Allied sector due to shortage of rainfall and for which the department of Agri and Allied sector departments have set up a core committee in order to tackle the issue on the rainfall shortage and post COVID-19 impact.
Kaito informed that the department has planned various activities under Agri and Allied sector department which will be taken up in cluster approach to ensure productivity. He added that it would encourage educated unemployed youth and retired employees to go back to rural areas for undertaking settled farming by utilisation the land to its fullest potential for production in a sustainable manner which will have far reaching effect.
He stressed that the Naga Model Integrated Settle Farming at Boke Botsa would serve as a model and will be replicated in all the districts eventually. He stated that GPS mapping of the area will be taken by the GIS Cell and for which the Agri & allied departments will have to prepare action plan for early implementation of the Naga model.
MLA, Chotisuh Sazo said that COVID-19 has really turn our economy upside and down so the topmost priority of the Government should have to focus on how to revive the economic activities of the people and the lost economy. Skill development, farming loans, seeds distribution, chicks distribution for poultry farm, piglets distribution, providing market links for farmers and, creating job opportunity were some of the options suggested by Sazo.
MLA, Kuzholuzo Nienu mentioned that saving lives and containing the pandemic should be the most important priority of the government. He said that the pandemic has taught everyone that economy now, is about being self-sufficient and self-reliant. He requested the government to create programmes about COVID to educate the grassroot level because this disease is a disease which commands discipline. He also suggested that the government set aside a huge amount of money for agri and allied sectors.
Advisor, Industries and Commerce, Imnatiba said that the Skill Development Department had initiated a job mela which attracted about 100 jobs in a single day. Unfortunately, the pandemic had forced the youths that were employed outside to come back to the State. He appealed to the government to come up with a proper policy which would help give a face lift to the already struggling entrepreneurs in the state.
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio delivering his concluding remark said that the COVID-19 pandemic has been highly disruptive and challenging, and has impacted us in many ways but we have to look beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, to a future with high rates of sustained economic growth and better income levels for our citizens. Rio also said that lockdowns and restrictions have led to a sharp impact on economic activities at the global and national level and the State has also not been spared.
The CM remarked that agriculture and allied activities continue to be the main source of livelihood for the rural people of the state of Nagaland as this sector contributes more than 70% to the State’s economy. Rio stated that world over, the travel and hospitality industry has been badly bruised by the pandemic but hopefully we shall be having the Hornbill festival this year, which would reinvigorate the sector.
