Dimapur, March 28 (MExN): The Nagaland Physical Planners Association (NPPA) has responded to the news article “Nagaland’s fund bigger than Kerala’s but no Development” published on the March 28 issue of the Morung Express. A rejoinder issued by President of NPPAS Takatuba Aier stated: “It is very unfortunate that General Secretary of Kerala Unit of the Self-Employed Women’s Association Nalini Nayak has disseminated wrong information that Nagaland is getting more funds than Kerala. The statement is totally misleading. It is advised that she gets her figures right and refrain from disseminating such wrong information fraught to mislead”, stated the rejoinder.
Clarifying more on the subject, he stated that there is urgency to take up projects in the urban centres and that more than 20 DPRs were submitted to the ministry under JNNURM, but so far the central government has approved and sanctioned only for five projects. The NPPA is of the view that, like other cities in India, the urban citizens in Nagaland have to start paying property tax so that our Municipal and Town Councils can be able to take up urban projects without relying on the assistance of State or Central Government. In the context of other cities across India, property tax is the largest source of revenue for the urban local bodies for taking up urban projects.
In regard to the discourse held yesterday, March 28 “Consultation on Urban Development Policies & Schemes”, the president of the association stated: “...Urban Development issues are basically the domain and mandate of the Physical Planners. Had the NPPA been informed, members could have proactively participated in a fruitful manner in the discourse on issues of such public interest.”
The note continued that for those interested to know the fact, they may visit the website of the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India.
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