Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 30
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, today reiterated it is high time that Nagas learn to stand on their own feet and not always depend on the Centre or others for their economic subsistence.
The Chief Minister said the most common question asked by outsiders is the state of Naga economy and every time the question is raised, Nagas are at loss to give a convincing response.
“What is our economy? It is salary economy as we solely depend on the government… It is now in 55 years since statehood and we are matured. It is high time we are self-sufficient and not depend on the Government of India all the time,” Rio said.
Rio was addressing the ‘Distribution of tractors and implements’ programme under ‘GIA/SFA to local rural bodies, areas not included in Part IX & Part IX A of the Constitution’ held here at Agri Expo.
The chief minister reminded that earlier when his government had declared ‘Year of Farmers’, he advised the farmers not to eat the seed but to nurture the seed and eat the fruit. Rio lamented that the objectives of ‘Year of Farmers’ did not yield the desired result as Naga society is lagging behind in work culture and ethics.
“You have to work, earn, save and invest and then spend,” he said.
He also said though Nagas talk much about the inner line permit and threats posed by illegal migrants, the problem would remain as long as Nagas continue to import labour from outside as it boils down to “demand and supply” issue. Rio also said he was of the view that some locals are encouraging the illegal migrants to come to Nagaland for reasons including cheap labour.
The chief minister said the distribution of tractors and implements under Grant-in-Aid (GIA)/Special Financial Assistance (SFA) to Excluded Areas not covered under Part IX & Part IX A of the Constitution, as the excluded areas are not covered by any scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Rio said earlier under the 12th FC Award, records indicated an amount of Rs 40 crore by the Finance Commission as grants to rural local bodies accessed by Nagaland. Under the 13th FC award, a total of Rs 215.54 crore was allocated but as per record, State could access only Rs 58.57 crore due to inordinately delays in finalizing schemes.
Consequently, UCs (utilization certificates) were delayed. First year of 13th FC Rs 31.68 crore in 2010-11 was released without any conditions but fell drastically due to non submission of UCs. In 2014-15 no fund released, he informed.
The Chief Minister said drawing from the past bitter experience of the state’s inability to access fund, the RD Department was made the nodal agency/department in 2017 since it has networking with all villages/VDBs in the State along with adequate manpower to implement the scheme of GIA/SFA.
“The NITI Aayog initiated the process in April 2017 for a comprehensive strategy for allocation of fund to the excluded areas based on Census data of 2011, number of villages rural areas in non Part IX implemented other than the 6th Schedule areas…Under the new dispensation all of rural areas in Nagaland, came under the ambit of funding for the ‘Excluded Areas”, Rio informed.
Rio said the main objective of distributing the tractors and implements is to ease the agricultural activities of the farmers, aid in transportation of their produce from the fields to the markets etc., thereby enhancing their income generation activities.
Under the scheme, all 60 assembly constituencies have been allotted a tractor each along with implements and trailer. On the occasion, the chief minister also distributed a tractor each to the best performing VDBs of 11 districts. Earlier, advisor, RD, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire, delivered the welcome address.
