Opposition terms Budget 2020 ‘visionless’

Assembly proceedings of the ongoing 5th session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on February 14. (DIPR Photo)

Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 14

The opposition today termed the Nagaland State Budget 2020 presented on February 13 as “visionless,” “disturbing,” “hollow” and lacking in consistency and content. 

At the other end of the Assembly, members of the ruling dispensation remained firm that the Budget was transparent.  
From the opposition side, MLA Dr. Chumben Murry reminded that the country is going through an economic slowdown which is bound to affect Nagaland too. "For a revenue starved State like Nagaland, the State budget should have taken cue from the Union budget and budget presentation should have been made accordingly. But unfortunately, there is no reflection that is seen," viewed Dr. Murry who also added that the budget speech was a repetition of the Governor's address. 

"The budget has to invariably talk about the growth of the State. What about our State's GDP? What was the picture last fiscal period? What is the figure today? Where exactly are we placed now? How is the government of the day planning to achieve growth? This was not figured in our state budget presentation," stated Dr. Murry.

He meanwhile further expressed surprise that the Naga political issue and CAA was included in the budget speech. “Out of the 37 odd paragraphs, I found only three paras that is directly related to Budget 2020 that is the youth resource, land resource and tax reforms," said Dr. Murry.

Dr. Murry also panned the meagre budgetary allocation in the agrarian and veterinary sector.

Meanwhile, MLA Dr Amenba Yaden said that "out of the 80+ departments, there is mention of hardly 13 departments." He further rued there was no mention of the road sector, rural sector or it's achievement even when Nagaland is still an agrarian society and the public continues to undergo daily struggles because of poor road condition. 

While appreciating the government's initiative on sports, music and the arts, Yaden viewed that these are not the main tasks of a State government. On the Indo-Naga political talks, Yaden asserted that no specific steps have been initiated by the PDA government except for routine and ritualistic slogans such as 'constructive role', 'active facilitation' etc.

MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu also chimed in stating that the budget presentation was confusing, disturbing and visionless. On the tourism sector, Nienue cited news reports of Tourism properties being misused by VIPs, and urged the Government to investigate and confiscate the properties. 

Raising concerns over the annual expenditure incurred by the Transport Department amounting to nearly Rs 6400 Crores, Nienu stated that the government needs to put a total ban on purchase of Government vehicles to save the Government Exchequer, and use the amount saved for development purposes. 

MLA YM Yollow Konyak meanwhile was critical of the partisan politics in Nagaland, and expressed resentment that people are rarely considered of the sufferings beyond their own space. "When you focus only on one village, where is the future of the whole Nagaland?" said Yollow. Despite many assurances by the government, Yollow stated that Nagaland is still not maintaining the Backward Tribe reservation. 

For MLA Keneizhakho Nakhro, the budget presentation rarely paid attention to address the everyday issues that confront the Naga masses such as access to safe drinking water or traffic.

 
Leader of the Opposition, TR Zeliang meanwhile stated that despite the State being awarded as the ‘Best performing small state in law and order,’ all is not well. 

 “I have questioned the government on the issue of Lamhai-Namdi, where a mob numbering 40-50 with automatic guns ravaged the village and to this day, there is no report of the action taken on those miscreants. Further, the goods transporters from outside the State are unwilling to send their trucks inside Nagaland as they face untold harassment in the form of illegal taxation which is going rampant and the government has turned a blind eye to all these,” Zeliang stated on the floor of the House today.

Such act has a major negative economic impact on the State, he added and called for corrective measures at the earliest. 
He meanwhile said that while the Finance Commission had advised the State to give more focus to the Agri and Allied sector, “there is no mention of any policies or programmes for improvement and enhancement in this sector.” 

On the Naga Political issue, Zeliang said that “we cannot afford to miss the opportunity to finally arrive at an honourable and acceptable solution. We should work earnestly and with all sincerity to help facilitate for a solution at the earliest.”

In the road sector, he expressed happiness that a committee has been promptly constituted to look into the anomaly arising out of the non adherence to the specifications mentioned in the sanction order for the 2- Lane road reconstruction from Purana Bazaar to Golaghat road in Dimapur.

He suggested that the Minister In-Charge also let the committee look into the 2-Lane road that has been constructed from Chümoukedima to Patkai bridge.

Commenting on the 7 National Highways which were approved during 2016-17 and sanctioned for survey, he said that preparation of DPR is yet to see the light of day.

He urged the department and the minister in charge to follow up on the case and ascertain that these major projects “do not die away because of negligence on our part.”

It is difficult to get approval for such roads, and when we do get it is our duty to fully commit to bring the projects to fruition, he said.

Appreciating the Government and the advocate general for the favorable order of the High Court with regards to Nagaland House Kolkata, Zeliang said “We have thoroughly debated this issue and finally it is bearing fruit. May I suggest that, given the interim order of the High Court, we should now stop accepting the Rs. 7 Lakhs per month which the tenants pay to the Government of Nagaland. Rather we should stick to the current market rate, which is 2.20 crores per month. And also formulate as to how we can evict the present tenants.”

In response to the scathing criticism, G Kaito Aye, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperation considered the budget as 'transparent' with 'no hidden agenda'.

Meanwhile, Toshi Wungtung, Adviser, IPR, SCERT and VG considered the budget presentation as “undeniably a promising and heralding dossier for the people of this unique state towards the march to modernity and growth.” He said that the budget lays emphasis on the projects and progress of Naga people also keeping in mind the Indo- Naga relationship.

Minister for Public Health Department, Jacob Zhimomi said that the Nagaland Government faces resources problems. On the Indo-Naga political issue, he added that the PDA Government is committed to the people to play the constructive role of an active facilitator.