Morung Express News
Kohima | March 9
For a person who was already tipped for a Governor’s posting, K. Sankaranarayanan knew what he had to do—to bring all his political skills into full play to manage a troubled State in a troubled region. As such, what will set Sankaranarayanan apart from his immediate predecessor is the political experience which he will bring to his new assignment. It has been over a decade since Kohima’s Garrison Hill has had an incumbent who is not a retired uniformed officer. And as a former politician, Sankaranarayanan knows what exactly he needs to do i.e. look for solutions and work on policies centered on people. Having just completed a month since assuming office as Nagaland’s 13th Governor, Sankaranarayanan is excited about taking forward his vision. Sharing his idea, the Governor in a one to one conversation with the Editor of The Morung Express clearly spells out his prime objective for the next five years. “For Nagaland the answer lies in peace and development”, Sankaranarayanan says sounding upbeat and confident about the State and its people whom he describes as ‘intelligent and adorable’.
On the development front, the immediate thought on his mind is establishing professional institutions and improving road, rail and air connectivity. He is surprised to learn that there are no medical and engineering colleges and that the state has only seven kilometers of railway tracks. “It is surprising. We will have to improve this”, he says. Sankaranarayanan, who met President A P J Abdul Kalam and other Central Ministers recently in the capital, says that education and connectivity will be the key to development of Nagaland. “It is essential to establish a medical and an engineering college in the state without any delay”, he says adding that money for this purpose should not be problem. “We can start off even in the current financial year itself. I have taken up the matter with Delhi and they extended total support for it. The Government of India has to support this”. He says that the private sector and cooperative institutions can play a role in taking up such projects.
This former Finance Minister of Kerala says that he would also work to ensure better connectivity to all corners of Nagaland and informs that the Centre has decided to invest Rs 50,000 crore for the development of surface transport infrastructure in the northeast in the 11th plan period.
“For the Northeast, Delhi has a master plan and even the concerned Union Minister has categorically assured on giving a boost to the region’s development”, Sankaranarayanan informs on the recent NEC meeting.
Acknowledged as a staunch Congressman who guided the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala through turbulent times for 16 long years and credited for successfully managing the UDF through the pulls and pressures of parties with diverse interests, the Governor expressed confidence in performing his role with the dignity that a gubernatorial assignment calls for. “I will support the State government without reservation as far as the overall development of Nagaland is concerned”, he says without hesitation.
To achieve his twin objective of peace and development, Sankaranarayanan says that public support will have to be more forthcoming. And for this he is prepared to step out into the public domain and meet people from all walks of life. “People are the ultimate masters and we should know the pulse of the people”, he says. After returning from a DONER meeting at Guwahati, which is scheduled over the weekend, the new Nagaland Governor will start his touring programme of visiting places across the State and meeting with people.
