T.R. Zeliang seeks support from Planning Commission for development
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 4 (MExN): Nagaland’s Planning Minister, T.R. Zeliang, has highlighted Nagaland State’s need for air, rail and land connectivity, asking for the Planning Commission of India to support this endeavor. This he did at a conference on ‘Infrastructure Developments in the North East Region-leveraging Opportunities,’ organized by India’s Planning Commission in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) on February 3-4 in Guwahati.
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 4 (MExN): Nagaland’s Planning Minister, T.R. Zeliang, has highlighted Nagaland State’s need for air, rail and land connectivity, asking for the Planning Commission of India to support this endeavor. This he did at a conference on ‘Infrastructure Developments in the North East Region-leveraging Opportunities,’ organized by India’s Planning Commission in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) on February 3-4 in Guwahati.
Zeliang sought the support of the Planning Commission for a four lane “iconic highway” from north to south of Nagaland viz Tizit-Dimapur-Jalukie-Khelma and along with it the railway line, informed a press statement from Additional Development Commissioner, Planning, Temsuwati. The road beyond Tizit was proposed to be connected to the Trans Arunachal Highway at Khonsa and the road beyond Khelma to the East-West Highway, starting from Dwarka, to Silchar at Maipang.
The objective of the conference was to project the recent development made in the North East related to infrastructure, and highlight the potential and upcoming opportunities in the region. The programme saw the participation of senior industry members based across the country and businesspersons from ASEAN countries.
At the conference, Zeliang proposed that in order to bring the Look East Policy to reality, it is essential to develop four important roads namely Tizit to Longwa raod via Mon, NH-202 to Pangsha (Chendang Saddle-Noklak-Pangsha) road, NH-202 to Avankhu (from Akhegw to Avankhu) road and NH-202 (Akash bridge) to Kanjang-Reguri-Pansat (Myanmar).
The urgent need of having a railway line connecting Tizit-Dimapur and Dimapur-Kohima was also highlighted. Mentioning the requirement of inter-state air connectivity in the region, and with the other parts of the country, Zeliang stated, this would be in the interest of development of tourism in the region and providing a package travel to tourists. The need for providing transport subsidy to facilitate marketing of agricultural produce was also emphasized.
The Nagaland minister also pointed out the problem of having common guidelines for implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in the North East and proposed that the guidelines be “need-based.” On the funding pattern of CSS, he reiterated that smaller States, like in the region, are facing problems to contribute the State share requirement of CSS programmes. Therefore, he requested to bring the funding pattern of the CSS to 90:10 for the States of the North East.
The Conference was addressed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission and Paban Singh Ghatowar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of DoNER, among others. Delegates from the State Government were led by T.R. Zeliang, assisted by Mhonbemo Patton, Commissioner & Secretary Planning, Benjamin, Secretary Agriculture, Temsuwati, and other officials from the Line Departments.
