CM Neiphiu Rio chairing the Review Meeting of Project FOCUS Nagaland at his residence in Dimapur on July 10.
Kohima, July 11 (MExN): The Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio on Monday highlighted the financial constraints of the State Government owing to various challenges over the years. “Resource crunch States like Nagaland need to be given better attention and privilege rather than imposing conditions to take up developmental activities,” the CM said while chairing the Review Meeting of Project FOCUS (Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming System in Nagaland) at his residence in Dimapur on July 10. In such situations, the CM said, Externally Aided Projects like FOCUS are of great value to the State and its people, stated an update from FOCUS Nagaland.
The review meeting was held with Han Ulac Demirag, Country Director of International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and Piyush Kanal, Country Programme Analyst, IFAD. It was also attended by Mhathung Yanthan, Advisor of Agriculture; R Binchilo Thong, IAS, Agriculture Production Commissioner & Mission Director, FOCUS Nagaland; Kesonyü Yhome IAS, Commissioner & Secretary to Chief Minister; and Dr Jitendra Gupta IAS, Additional Secretary, Agriculture & State Project Director, FOCUS Nagaland.
While the FOCUS Project had difficult trajectory for some years and was categorised as ‘Chronic Problem Project’, Rio however said, “with the concerted efforts of IFAD and the new Project leadership, the Project has not only moved out of the ‘Chronic Problem Category’ but also shown strong positive and promising trend which requires stronger and better support from IFAD and Government of India.”
Recalling COVID-19 pandemic lockdown when people in town areas were confined to their homes but how the rural population involved themselves in orchid plantation and farming and fed the people, he asked the Project to work out the modalities for value crop and livestock-based value chain addition and market linkages.
He also urged upon officers working in Externally Aided Projects to be prompt in fund utilisation and submission of utilisation certificate failing which the entire financial cycle gets delayed and the State has to pay debt penalty and the funds are sometimes reduced or barred for disbursement.
Han Ulac Demirag, IFAD Country Director apprised the CM about the turn-around of the Project and improvement on all performance indicators in the past 3 Quarters. He informed that the bottle necks and problems have been resolved and the Project has shown positive and promising trajectory in the past 3 Quarters. He said if the same trend continues the Project can achieve its targets.
He further requested for timely release of pre-financing to the Project so that the improved performance can be sustained for the remaining period of the Project and IFAD may continue to engage in Nagaland in future through either extension of Project or a fresh Project.
Committee for ‘Agriculture Land Use Policy’ constituted
Briefing on the market linkage required to fetch better prices for farmers, Advisor Mhathung Yanthan highlighted that the State Government is working for a comprehensive Agriculture Land Use Policy for which a committee has been constituted with Sushil Patel, IAS as the convenor.
In this regard, he emphasised that all Agri and Allied Departments should come out of the silos and work in tandem to avoid duplication and rather converge in empowering the farmers through integrated institutional mechanisms.
Stating that the Project component and sub-components are the actual need of the farming community of Nagaland, he expressed that due to some reasons beyond control, the Project suffered a setback but the project has picked up fast under the leadership of the present Agriculture Production Commissioner and State Project Director, Dr Jitendra Gupta, IAS.
Binchilo Thong highlighted that with most of the issues resolved and a motivated team in place, the Project has absorption capacity of Rs 8 Crore per month and requested for timely release of funds to carry out the approved Project activities.
Dr Jitendra Gupta made a short presentation about the Project highlighting the improvement in Financial Progress, Physical Progress, Convergence from Agri and Allied Departments and on various indicators which were not touched upon in the past.
Kesonyü Yhome said that despite efforts, no model could be developed in Nagaland related to Market Access facilities and since FOCUS Project has taken up good initiatives for developing agriculture infrastructure particularly in value chain and market linkage, he noted that if the Project can come out with a model which serves the need of the State and can be replicated, it will be a great contribution of the Project.
He also opined that since the project has come out of the ‘Problem’ category and shown improvement in the past 3 Quarters, with regard to the future of the Project, it will be better to first get an extension and achieve the remaining targets rather than stopping the Project pre-maturely and going for a fresh project.
The CM advised that regular reviews of the projects be taken at appropriate levels to ensure that the progress of works is timely and in the right direction.
