Dimapur, May 2 (MExN): For the NSCN-IM, the people are undoubtedly the “inexhaustible perennial spring” of money and the one fact that can sustain any revolutionary struggle. “Transparent earning, transparent spending and transparent tax collection system” with a “scrupulous” collection of taxes is imperative to the NSCN-IM according to “Lt. Gen (Retd).” VS Atem.
Delivering a paper in the NSCN-IM party meeting at Camp Hebron, the former military chief of the organization declared that while there are no industrial resources or “factory” the people is the “minting machine” for the NSCN-IM.
“…it is money that can answer many things,” Atem explained. “NSCN has no factory, nor industries that generate or manufacture money. The only minting machine that produces money for the NSCN is the people and the people are the inexhaustible perennial spring of resources in terms of manpower and money as well” he said. For this reason the NSCN-IM is required to use all the resources “with proper plan and extreme frugality” he reminded. “There is no doubt about it” he reaffirmed. Atem expressed conviction that transparency in financial management is imperative since it can “strengthen us” but it can also “destroy us.”
He observed on this suggestion: “We need to develop a full-proof clean and transparent tax collection system. Transparent earning, transparent spending and transparent tax collection system with a scrupulous collection of taxes contribute tremendously towards all-round development of the people and the government.” VS Atem further advised that to plug the leakages in the collection process, it is required to come up immediately with full-proof, “concrete anti-embezzlement” measures. “This will help our tax collectors heal of the sinful disease that was pervasively prevalent even in Jesus’ time” he maintained.
And the people should be convinced: “we need to convince the people that we are using their money judiciously and honestly. I also feel that it is high time for us to professionalize the job of tax collection with strong measures to check corruption by the taxation officers” Atem added.
Other points highlighted by “Lt. Gen (Retd).” VS Atem included land systems, “justice and law enforcement,” “public distribution system,” “healthcare system,” “human resource development” and “communication and information system”.
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