Delivering the Republic Day speech at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat Plaza, Kohima, on 26th January 2022, Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio asked the people to remember the sacrifices made by the countrymen who gave their everything for the freedom of the nation. He said that India as an independent republic has made giant strides in every domain and Nagaland, which is nearing six decades as a State, has also been capably marching shoulder to shoulder with all the other States of the Union and contributing in strengthening the nation in every manner.
Extending his solidarity to the family members of the Oting-Tiru village area and Mon town incident victims, the Chief Minister asserted that the Special Investigation Team of the Nagaland Police is making good progress in its investigation and the Army has also constituted a Court of Inquiry. The Inquiry is reportedly being completed at a fast pace. Rio stated that the State Cabinet decided to take up for immediate repeal of the AFSPA, 1958 with the Government of India and the Nagaland Legislative Assembly in its Special Session passed a resolution on 20th December 2021 for repeal of AFSPA from Nagaland.
Rio said that negotiations between the Naga Political Groups and the Government of India have been going on in a cordial atmosphere to find a solution. All the members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly have also come together and formed an opposition-less Government to convey to the negotiating parties to give us an honourable, inclusive and acceptable solution, he added.
The Chief Minister said that to ensure good governance in an effective manner, the State Government created three new districts: Tseminyu, Niuland and Chumoukedima on 20th December 2021, and Shamator District on 20th January 2022. He said that Tseminyu district fulfills the desire and aspirations of the Rengma people to have a district of their own and Shamator district creation is the culmination of sincere efforts made by the Yimkhiung and Tikhir people by resolving their decades old disputes amicably, and recognition of Tikhir as a separate Naga Tribe. He added that the creation of Niuland and Chumoukedima districts was the need of the times and, besides giving the right historical perspective resolves the matter with regard to the headquarters of the erstwhile Dimapur district. The Chief Minister stated that there are other demands for creation of new districts, but the State Government would not like to divide single tribe districts in keeping with the Government's motto of unity.
On the COVID-19 pandemic, Rio said that with the cooperation and support of various sections of the society, the State was able to take quick and timely actions during the second wave the previous year. As the State is facing the third wave of the pandemic, he stated that Health & Family Welfare department has been ramping up its infrastructure over the last year. He informed that s total of one thousand two hundred eighty-one (1281) oxygen beds and one hundred sixty-three (163) ICU beds including ninety-seven (97) with ventilators have been set up and every district has been provided with at least one PSA oxygen generator plant. He also stated that a 200-bedded acute care hospital at CIHSR, Dimapur was build and make operational, in a record time and an additional 50-bedded fully equipped ward has been established at District Hospital Dimapur. The Police Department also operationalized a fully equipped 100 bedded hospital at Police Referral Hospital, Chumoukedima. Rio urged every person above 15 years of age in the State to take the COVID-19 vaccine and asked everyone to do away with misinformed and false messages.
As part of Community Outreach Program, a mobile application "Call Your Cop" which will allow citizens to get in touch with police personnel on duty in an easier manner was launched by the State Police. Rio said that the Nagaland Police in the year 2021 had a significant achievement when it seized 290 gold bars weighing 48.14 kg, worth over Rs. 22.78 crore, which is the single biggest seizure of the smuggled bullion in the State. The State Government took another step towards e-governance and quality of implementation of ILP regime in the State, when it launched the online ILP module for all the categories of ILP on 16th December 2021.
The Chief Minister informed that the Department of School Education has commenced implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 in a phased manner and made appreciable progress. He also said that Digital Education was also conducted successfully during the year to continue to impart education to students during COVID lockdowns. Rio said that three Secondary School buildings were inaugurated virtually by the Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu on 7th October 2021. He informed that a Five-Year Planning template has been developed by the Department to implement the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat).
Rio informed that the Department of Higher Education, Nagaland is pursuing with the Government of India to set up Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in the State. He also said that academic session at Government Polytechnic, Wokha and Peren will commence from 2022-23. Rio said that under the initiative of the Department of Art and Culture, the Anglo-Lotha Dictionary was released on 15th September 2021 in Wokha and added that the Department in collaboration with the Anthropological Society of Nagaland has also completed the first ever compilation and documentation of Naga Customary Practices and Usages.
Rio stated that the Rural Development Department made a notable achievement during the three years Convergence Programme of MGNREGA with NEIDA & Land Resources Department for Springshed Management by successfully completing 105 springshed management projects in 97 villages. He said that the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services has established one Gokul Gram on Mithun for production of pure Naga Mithun (Male line) for propagation of up to 200 Mithuns, which was inaugurated on 1st May 2021 at Jotsoma Village Community Reserved Forest.
The Department of Soil & Water Conservation has set up Static Soil Testing Laboratories in 11 districts, and installation of Mini Laboratories for the entire 74 blocks would be launched. The department has also set up two each bio-fertilizer and fertilizer quality control labs. The Department of Food & Civil Supplies successfully implemented the Prime Minister's Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana schemes and has completed construction of 640 MT godowns at Phek, Longleng, Zunheboto, Peren, Wokha and Kiphire.
Rio said that as part of the JICA Assisted Nagaland Forest Management Project, the Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has covered 91 villages across the State and will further cover 94 villages.
The Directorate of Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship is establishing one Entrepreneurs Development Centre on pilot basis at Government ITI Complex, Kohima to train and promote local entrepreneurs. The Department of Underdeveloped Areas has launched the Mongken Apparel and Home Furnishing Production Unit at Dimapur in September 2021. With sales tie-up through Tribes India for the country, this would provide sustainable livelihood to traditional weavers and craft persons. He Chief Minister said that, to promote entrepreneurship and provide easier access to finance at cheaper rates through the banks, SARFAESI Act has been implemented in Nagaland.
The Chief Minister said that during the year 2021-22, Rs. 7.00 crore was allocated under Chief Ministers' Corpus fund and 47 Tractors were purchased and distributed to genuine farmers. Further, financial assistance to 22 entrepreneurs were provided for self-employment IDAN, signed an MoU with Dhriiti and GiZ on 10th September 2021 to create an ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Nagaland through the Her & Now Project. An Export Facilitation Cell has also been set up at IDAN with the help of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in the month of November 2021.
Rio further said that the Tourism Department, in collaboration with Government of India, organised the 9th Edition of International Tourism Mart with nearly 200 participants including from the neighbouring countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. The Department has also signed a MoU with the Tourism Promotion Council of India, for operation and management of the Institute of Hotel Management in Dimapur.
The Chief Minister said that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is in the process of launching an Externally Aided Program through Asian Development Bank, under which the Department of Urban Development shall be taking up various infrastructure works in the District Headquarters. Kohima city achieved the 1st rank and 5th rank among 100 Smart Cities in the 'Street for people' and 'Cycle for Change' assessments respectively. The city was also ranked 5th amongst 10 Smart Cities in the 'Nurturing Neighbourhood' assessment. A world class Capital Cultural Hall, a space for our performers to demonstrate their arts was inaugurated on 1st December 2021.
Rio said that the Public Works Department has completed the construction and widening of 8.5 Km of roads from NH-29 to Sovima Village Gate, and Sovima Cricket ground upto Thahekhu Village, Dimapur under NESIDS and the development of tourism related road at Tuophema Tourist Village has been completed. He informed that the widening of NH 2 for 24 Km from Tsungiki Bazaar to Izheto will start soon and widening work for 59 km on NH 2, Alichen to Ungma, Mokokchung to Yisemyong and Unger to Tuli and strengthening of NH 36 (Dimapur city) has been sanctioned. Construction of 11 Ministers Quarters at Thizama and the Staff Quarter Complex at Dwarka, New Delhi have also been completed and the Nagaland State Transport Department has taken up construction of Heliport at Chumoukedima.
Rio said the Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection launched an online portal called E-Daakhil Nagaland on 2nd December 2021, for consumers to file their grievances online now. The Chief Minister said the National Helpline for Senior Citizens, Nagaland named Elderline was launched on 28th September 2021 with the Good Samaritan Women Society as the implementing agency and the Department of Social Welfare as the Nodal Department.
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio urged the people of the State to take a pledge on Republic Day, to re-dedicate themselves to ensure that the fruits of development reach everyone and every nook and corner of the State, stating that a lot has been achieved a lot over the decades, and unitedly, we should be able to make Nagaland a more developed and progressive State.
(Mhonlumi & Wepre)
