Nagaland economy in real bad shape coupled with rising unemployment and inflation at its peak: MLA Khekaho
Morung Express News
Kohima | March 25
He may be a new face in the portals of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, but first-time MLA, Khekaho Assumi, refuses to remain a “passive listener” in the House during assembly sessions.
The Congress legislator, representing 31 Akuluto assembly seat, is emerging as one of the most vocal, among the dozen new legislators representing the younger generation.
“I believe there should be more debates and active participation in assembly sessions. What is the point of attending assemblies if one were to remain a passive listener to the list of achievements of the government?” Khekaho said in an interview after the House was adjourned sine die on Monday.
“The assembly proceedings are okay but sometimes I feel that the members (ruling and opposition) are always trying to behave in their best manners, as if at the end of the day, our legislative assembly would win the first prize for decency and decorum,” the opposition legislator said on a lighter note.
Khekaho also is of the view that assembly sessions would prove a futile exercise if media focus is only on the “achievements and replies” of the government, sidelining the issues raised and charges leveled by the opposition.
Khekaho who took part in the debate on motion of thanks to the Governor’s address on March 22 last, had ridiculed the government for terming the visits of President of India, Prince Andrew and the Princess of Thailand to Nagaland as big achievements.
“In the debate, I told the House that if the state government considers these visits as big achievements, then I will not be surprised if in the next year’s Governor’s address, the government terms staging of ‘Amar Circus’ in Kohima as another big achievement”, Khekaho said.
“I also told the House the public distribution system (PDS) in the state has totally failed the common man and essential commodities which are supposed to reach the common man are all landing in the godowns of the Marwaris in Dimapur”, the Congress legislator said.
In the debate, Khekaho also alleged that the UPA flagship programme MNREGA which was supposed to change the lives of the common and needy people had not benefitted the targeted people at all, as the programme was implemented in paper only.
Further, he alleged that infrastructure all over Nagaland state was in a ramshackle and dilapidated condition and that though quality works were not executed; money was being paid to the contractors even without actual work being done. In the debate, Khekaho also said he was critical of the state quality monitoring board and questioned its existence. He argued that ministers and parliamentary secretaries concerned should be on the “ground” to monitor and implement works as per guidelines and to keep officials on their toes.
The opposition MLA, in this regard, acknowledged the Roads & Bridges minister for personally supervising and monitoring road construction and repairing works in Dimapur and other districts. “I summed up by stating that Nagaland was in a state of stagflation where the economy was in real bad shape coupled with rising unemployment and inflation at its peak”, Khekaho said.
