Chizokho Vero
Kohima | June 14
Adding more weight to the “Year of Farmers” in Nagaland, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been arrived at between the Nagaland government and TAHAL Consulting Engineers Limited, Israel with special focus on water management and agriculture planning in the state.
Signing the MoU here today in the office chamber of the Chief Secretary, both the sides agreed to appoint TAHAL as Engineering Consultants to work out the terms and conditions including scope of services to be undertaken by engineering consultants for signing of the final MoU as may be mutually agreed upon within a month from the date of signing the MoU.
Lalhuma signed the MoU on behalf of the state government while Meir Shimko, Managing Director, Asia Operations representedthe TAHAL Consulting Engineering Limited.
According to the MoU, TAHAL as engineering consultant shall establish a project office with the help of the state government and will start coordinating with various departments in Kohima to take up ongoing and upcoming infrastructure projects.
The MoU also stated that the priority area shall be water management, drainage, sanitation, developmental of urban amenities and service and that TAHAL shall provide all international and domestic technical inputs required for successful completion of the projects.
That TAHAL shall work in close coordination with the state government for preparation of project appraisal documents for accessing funds for projects from different multi-lateral funding agencies like World Bank and JBIC, ADB etc.
TAHAL shall initially liaise with various departments for collection of information/data to focus on Fast Track Priority Projects.
Further TAHAL shall undertake to set up pilot projects in consultation with the state government whenever deemed necessary to work out best affordable and sustainable solutions with reference to priority areas. TAHAL as technical advisor and engineering consultant shall follow the best international practices with reference to their experience of world-wide domestic conditions and available resources, the MoU states.
The Government of Nagaland, as a follow up to the Indo-Israeli Conference in Tel Aviv on May 11, 2006 had invited TAHAL to visit Nagaland for accessing the potential areas of partnership between the government of Nagaland and Israel.
It has been agreed in principle to appoint TAHAL as engineering Consultants for the projects to be undertaken by Nagaland government for all round development of infrastructure facilities in the state, the MoU went on to state.
The final agreement will be signed by the second week of July this year, it is learnt. Shimko said that TAHAL will offer technology and projects step by step and then move in a bigger way later.
In the meantime, Chief Secretary told the media persons that the state government will be sending ten Naga youth to Israel to learn various techniques on agriculture and horticulture for one year.
Morung Express News
