Kohima, July 15 (MExN): A ministerial team led by Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland Y Patton undertook two days visit to Nagpur (Maharashtra) starting July 13. The team included Temjen Imna Along, Minister for Higher & Technical Education and president BJP Nagaland, Pukhayi Sema, Advisor and Longriniken, Advisor.
They called on Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways at his private residence and apprised him of various National Highways projects in Nagaland and requested for additional new highways projects in the State, informed a press release from Media Cell, Deputy Chief Minister’s office.
Patton, who also holds the Home and National Highways portfolios, thanked Gadkari under whose efforts some mega projects were approved in the past and many new projects of highways are in pipeline for Nagaland, it added.
The team also attended the Meet-the-Press programme organised jointly by Nagpur Union of Working Journalists (NUWJ) and Nagpur Press Club (NPC). Speaking at the press meet, Patton called upon the entrepreneurs from Maharashtra State to invest in Nagaland. He emphatically stated that Nagaland is now a very peaceful State in the North East India and people should not have any misconception about the safety and security.
“We are committed to create an atmosphere conducive for industrial growth keeping in view the natural resources and socio-economic condition of the State. Investment will not only help our economic growth but shall generate employment opportunities for the youth in the private and corporate sectors,” Patton added.
While emphasising that Nagaland offers excellent policies and fiscal investments for agro and forest based industries, horticulture, food processing, mining, tourism, handloom and handicraft sectors etc, the Deputy CM also reiterated the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government’s commitment to put sincere efforts for overall development of Nagaland with the support of the Union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The present government in Nagaland, he told the press fraternity, is promoting tourism on a large scale with emphasis on the promotion of cultural heritage of Nagaland. Patton also highlighted about that Hornbill Festival held in December every year and the success story in protecting the Amur Falcon and Nagaland becoming the Amur Falcon capital of the world.
Also addressing the Press Meet, Temjen Imna Along informed that Rashtriya Uchchastar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) was helping to bring in improvement in the higher education in Nagaland. The State government, he added, is committed to continuous quality improvement in higher education.
On behalf of the Chief Minister and people of Nagaland, the minister also thanked the Government of Maharashtra and its people for their hospitability and being accommodative towards the people of North East and particularly the Naga people. So many young Naga students and entrepreneurs, he claimed, have been living without fear of discrimination and prejudices in Maharashtra.
The team during their visit also attended the inauguration of the headquarters of Rashtrapita Jyotiba Phule Abhyasika Movement (RJPA) Nagpur. Started in the year 2012, RJPA now has 40 coaching centres in 10 districts and within a short span has helped many rural and poor students to qualify in various competitive exams, including UPSC, the release informed.
Addressing the inaugural programme, Y Patton and Temjen Imna Along appreciated the efforts of RJPA for social upliftment and also extended their best wishes to the students’ community.
Sandeep Tamgadge (IPS), IGP (HQ) of Nagaland, who is a native of Nagpur, accompanied the team during the visit.
