Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 6
Elected representative from 18th Chozuba A/C Dr Chotisuh Sazo has highlighted the problems and also suggested some remedies in connection with COVID-19 pandemic in Nagaland.
Joining the discussion on matters of urgent public importance on Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery at the 8th session of 13th NLA here on August 5, Dr Sazo, who is also former speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly said that without a broad based economic expansion, it is difficult to address other challenges, such as education and healthcare. He felt that the government has to create the environment and structure that enables enterprise to flourish.
Challenges
Dr Sazo said that contractors have suffered enough as skilled labourers have returned to their respective home due to COVID-19. This has adversely affected their work progress on many constructions activities, he said.
Stating that self employed entrepreneurs have undergone tremendous hardship due to the lockdown, he said, “Many of them could not run their business activities but have to keep on paying house rents and their employees, many of them are in heavy debts.”
He said that prices have shot up in all the places especially essential commodities and building materials after the government imposed COVID Cess on petrol and diesel. “Even though government rolled back the COVID Cess, the prices have not come down. The price rise has not rolled back,” he said.
People who are studying and working outside the state, have to come back home when the situation got worse and again have to go back to their college, school or working places.
He said that every time they comes in or goes out they have to be tested for COVID-19. Some of the private hospitals are charging Rs 2500 per test and the government hospitals are charging Rs 1500 per test which has affected badly on the common people, and thereby many people do not come forward for testing and undetected positive persons becomes COVID spreader within the community.
Private entrepreneurs, shop keepers and many private employees and daily wage earners could not earn enough to maintain their house rents, and even to maintain their livelihood. They are facing difficult to pay their children college/school fees, admission fees etc. Mmany youth who are working outside the state have return to home and staying with their parents and relatives without job as there is very less opportunity within the state now. This has pounded another burden to the parents.
Added to the COVID -19 is the drought like situation in Nagaland where the food security has been tremendously challenged. Many farmers in the state particularly a place like Phek district, who largely depend on wet terrace rice cultivation, could not do their paddy transplantation due to lack of rain. Even those who could do plantation were also badly affected due pest infestation.
In the month of April & May, maize and other cereal crops were also badly affected by Army ball worm infestation. Large cardamom plantations were dried off due to moisture stress.
“Since, other economic activities have been badly affected and we do not know how long this pandemic will continue, hence, special emphasis has to be given on agriculture & allied activities and in- order to boost our economy in the long run,” Dr Sazo said.
Remedies
Dr Sazo suggested that the government should lay emphasis on skill building/development at various levels. Government may identify who are the real self employed entrepreneurs such as shop owners, butchers, vegetable vendors, cobblers, barbers, food restaurants, automobile workshop, Gym, Saloons and daily wage earners and even local brew wine sellers for appropriate compensation. Government should reduce the taxes on oil, petrol & diesel. It may arrange facilities to provide free testing for COVID to all returnees and outgoing students, to avoid economic recession and also for prevention and control of COVID; and also reduce the school/college fees, admission fees to those affected group of people.
The state government should create job opportunities for the youth, increase the self employment schemes such as PMEGP under NKVIB and DICs, preferably more emphasis be given on the agriculture and allied activities. The government should increase rice allocation to all the villages in Nagaland.
Government may provide the following facilities for Agri-allied activities (a) Provide farm loan, securities for agri-allied activities. (b) Provide free seeds, fruit grafts and saplings, plantation and cash crop seedlings to the farmers free of cost (c) Provide farm equipment and other basic implements and small machines to the farmers at subsidized rate.
