Dimapur, January 2 (MExN): The NPCC, in an unsigned press release, has restated its stance that the NPF government has over spent the State’s wealth on “over-eating and merry-making”. Corruption, said the NPCC, has eaten to the foundation of the State economy and that the refusal of the DAN legislators to step down denotes the imminence of election 2013 as scheduled.
Terming unfortunate the failure of the State’s Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, to attend the 57th National Development Council (NDC) meeting on December 28, 2012 at New Delhi , the NPCC has also termed T.R. Zeliang’s statement at the same meeting about Nagaland 11th Five Year Plan (FYP) targets having been by and large achieved a “blatant lie”. The NPCC has quoted the Business Standard’s report of December 1 that that Nagaland has achieved 6.2% growth against the target of 9.3% in the 11th FYP, lowest among all states of the North East. “While other NE States had confidently projected their targets above the national average of 8% for the 12th FYP, Nagaland State had failed to set the target,” said the press release.
Saying that the NPF government will not return to power and thus has no economic plan for Nagaland in the 12th FYP, the NPCC said, “In Nagaland, with over 70% of the population engaged in agriculture, the growth target largely depends on this primary sector. However under NPF government, it contributed a dismal 19% only to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 11th FYP. The contributions from secondary and tertiary sectors like industries, road constructions, electricity and water supplies were even more pathetic. The tall claim of NPF government’s development achievement in secondary and tertiary sectors had nil returns in revenue that had contributed to 6.2% growth rate in 11th FYP”.
Alleging that the NPF led government has served a “handful of coterie only” and that it has no economic roadmap for the Nagas, the NPCC said that “The forced retirement of the government employees, the backdoor appointments, the failure to implement the appointment of graduate and undergraduate teachers, the failure to implement the schemes under the year of entrepreneurs, etc. were the harsh reminders of injustice dispensed by the NPF government. The people of Nagaland deserve good roads, sufficient power supply for industrial and domestic activities, employment opportunities for the youths, etc. to propel the State in economic growth.”
Further the NPCC has called the NPF led government a “pagan government” and has endorsed the involvement of the Church in politics of the State. “It is the responsibility of all responsible members of the Church to work on this line irrespective of one’s political affiliation... The members of the Church too have equal rights as democratic citizens to participate in deciding the political course of its people,” said the NPCC.
