Governor, R.N. Ravi, in his speech during the Seventh Session of the Thirteenth Nagaland Legislative Assembly, on 12th Feb, 2021 expressed his satisfaction with the State Government for successfully combating the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that at the start of the pandemic, the State did not have a single testing lab of its own for COVID-19, but now there are three BSL labs and has acquired thirty two True Nat machines. He added that the Government took steps to increase the number of health professionals and workers in public health facilities and the overall health infrastructure of the State also saw a significant upliftment. He informed that the Department has set up a State Warehouse at Kohima and is also setting up medical oxygen generation plants in 10 district hospitals and CHC Jalukie.
The Governor said that with the imposition of the nationwide lockdown, the Government immediately stepped in and about Rs 24.75 crore relief in cash was provided which have benefitted 37,932 persons and arranged trains and buses for people stranded in other parts of the country. More than 25,000 returnees availed the facilities created by the Government for quarantining, he added. Ravi said that the mortality rate due to COVID-19 remains relatively less than other States and expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the medical doctors, nurses, all other frontline workers, mass-based organizations including the churches for their support to the Government in its fight against COVID-19. Ravi informed that vaccination against COVID-19 for the health workers have started and the 1st Phase for vaccination is expected to finish 20th February, 2021.
On the Naga Political Issue which continues to remain in focus, the Governor stated and that there is a need for efforts to build on the substantial gains made so far, and to move swiftly for the final solution.
He said that the general law and order situation in the State has remained largely peaceful though there have been some localised incidents, which were contained with swiftness by the district administration and police. To enhance fighting crime against woman, a Woman Police Station at Kiphire was established, thus covering 11 districts and plan to establish one in the newly created Noklak district soon, he added. Ravi also informed that a Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children Lab cum Training Centre(CCPWC) has been made operational and Cyber Cells to investigate cyber-crime have been also set up in all the districts. Further, the Nagaland Police has set up Anti-Extortion Cells in all the districts of the State, which work in close coordination with other law enforcement and security agencies to contain illegal activities.
The Governor expressed his appreciation to various State and Central agencies and civil society organizations in the containment of the recent outbreak of forest fires in the beautiful Dzukou valley. He said that the Government is making long term plans to prevent such incidents in future and also further strengthen the response mechanism.
The Governor gave an overview of the developmental activities being carried out by all Departments in the state. In the Department of Agriculture under Sub –Mission on Agriculture Mechanizations (SMAM), the Department distributed 93 Tractors, 878 Power Tiller, 460 Brush cutters, 215 Rotary Tillers and 372 other smaller but useful machineries to the farmers both free as well as on subsidy. He also said that construction of A/C Organic Market at NE Agri-Expo 4th Mile, Dimapur, under RKVY, has been completed and inaugurated and the foundation stone for construction of Farmers Hostel at the same location has also been laid. He informed that under the PM Kisan, all together 2,13,613 farmers were registered out of which 33,097 were registered during 2020 and the total amount received by the farmers till 4th February 2021 is 216.08 crores. He added that the Agri & Allied Department, as a pilot project has taken up the Naga Model Integrated Settle Farming (N-IsF), with a dedicated expert Working Group drawn from all the Agri & Allied Departments, which has already started at Boke-Botsa under Kohima District.
Ravi informed that the Department of Horticulture, under Phase-III of Mission Organic Value Chain for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER), has targeted the formation of 6(six) Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) covering 3,000 hectares for crops such as Dragon fruit in Dimapur, Avocado in Kohima, Apple in Kiphire, Spices in Wokha, Ginger in Mon and Banana in Mokokchung covering 500 hectare area each.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services under National Livestock Mission (NLM) is strengthening two State Poultry Farms at Dimapur and Peren, and two State Piggery Farms at Tuensang and Wokha. He informed that fish production status, from both capture and culture sector, presently stands at 9,448.12 MT and the Fish Seed production is at 490 lakhs. The Department for the first time has successfully released the fingerling of Chocolate Mahseer, the “State Fish of Nagaland” at Doyang Reservoir which was indigenously reared and bred at the Department’s Chocolate Mahseer Hatchery Unit at Longkong village, Mokokchung District, he added.
Under the NSRLM, the key achievements during the current financial year has been facilitating behaviour change among rural population towards Community Preparedness and Resilience to COVID-19 through Self-Help Groups (SHG) network covering 1,14,463 households in all the intensive villages across the State and under Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM), the Department successfully completed, among others, the beautification of Sokhriezie Lake in Kohima.
Ravi said that with the imposition of lockdown, the Department of School Education came up with Online Digital Education in the State from the month of May 2020 and has also developed Online Students Evaluation Portal, Online School Monitoring System, Teacher’s APP and Teachers’ Online Transfer Portal. He also said that the Department in association with ‘Pratham Education Foundation’ is implementing the Online Teacher Training and Professional Development initiative ‘Gurushala’ since December 2020 for all the Govt. School teachers throughout the State. Further, the Department is in the process of training mathematics teachers in usage of teaching tools like graphical calculators and its emulators in collaboration with M/s Casio India. He informed that the Department, after fully evaluating the COVID situation has decided to resume regular classes for students of classes 6 and above from 8th February 2021 in all the Schools in the State with proper SOPs in place and also said that the decision on resuming classes for lower classes will be taken in due course of time. The Class XI Promotion Exam is scheduled to commence from 11th March 2021 and the HSSLC/HSLC board exams are scheduled to commence from 6th April 2021, he added.
Also highlighting on the activities he said that the Department of Higher and Technical Education is taking up the construction of the Professional College of Music & Fine Arts, Tsiesema, Kohima District and Science Stream Building at Dimapur Government College, Dimapur was completed and inaugurated on the 12th November 2020. Ravi said that the department constructed 100 Bedded Boys Hostel at Dimapur Government College, Dimapur taken up under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) and the Department under RUSA 2.0, is implementing 10 (ten) new projects in various districts across the State.
Ravi also said that the Government remains committed for ensuring regular supply of electricity to each and every part of the State, which is one of the most crucial element for enhancing the speed of economic development. He said the Department of Power inorder to strengthen its transmission ability upgraded the capacity of the substation at RESS Nagarjan Dimapur from 100MVA to 200MVA which was officially commissioned on 9th Dec. 2020. He also said that The Department is further developing 220kV downstream connectivity from 400kV substation at Zhadima (Kalpataru) to the State owned 220kV sub-station at Zhadima which will greatly improve power stability in Kohima, Kiphire, Phek &Wokha districts in particular and the whole state of Nagaland in general.
Ravi said the Department of PHED under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), has provided 61 habitations with 100% Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC and a total of 1,46,826 FHTC in 466 habitations are planned for coverage with drinking water supply under JJM during 2020-21.
Ravi said that the Transport Department played a significant role in the fight against COVID-19 and deployed more than 80 (eighty) Buses for ferrying the returnees to their respective District Head Quarters and within their Districts.
The Department of Women Resources during 2020-21 took up production of face masks on a significant scale thereby creating a source of employment during the time of pandemic for skilled unemployed women in and around Kohima. The Governor also said that the Department plans to take up new initiatives under the Transformative Livelihood Intervention (TLI) Project and under the Integrated Development-cum-Resource centre, Dimapur, to cover more women entrepreneurs as well as rural and marginalized women in the State.
On the achievements of the Department of Science & Technology he said that the department has completed the construction of a 50-seater Digital Planetarium and an Innovation Hub at S&T Complex, Kohima. He further added that the Department plans to finish installation of equipment at Digital Planetarium & Innovation Hub, carry out science popularization programmes at District Head Quarters and continue assisting the rural high schools by providing science equipment kits.
Ravi said that the Department of New & Renewable Energy for the Tsutsung Small Hydro Power (1MW) has completed trial run along with the construction of 33kV transmission line for evacuation of power from Tsutsung generating station to 132/66/33kV sub-station at Aolichen, Mokokchung. He added that under the Solar Study Lamp scheme, 24,000 units of solar study lamps are to be distributed to the Government school students up to Class 12th standard at a subsidized rate.
Ravi said that the Geology & Mining Department’s activity focuses on the updation and evaluation of its mineral resources in line with the National Mineral Resource classification and Reporting system so as to generate data and to provide perspective for policies and decisions in exploitation of the resources. He said that the Department has also undertaken exploration of the Nickel-Cobalt-Chromium-Magnetite deposit of Mollen-Jopi-Zipu areas of Naga Hill Ophiolite in Kiphire district which has given positive results. He further added that the Department is carrying out Seismic micro-zonation of Greater Dimapur city in collaboration with NEIST, Jorhat and NSDMA. It is targeted to be completed by 2021 with an objective to establish data for sustainable urban planning and earthquake hazard mitigation measures.
He said the Department of Underdeveloped Areas (DUDA) has taken up several developmental programmes in sectors such as health, education, agri & allied, infrastructure and road connectivity and further plans to implement programmes with specific focus on livelihood, human resource development, infrastructure development, and such similar economic activities in the backward areas.
Also on the tourism sector Ravi pointed out that because of the pandemic and curbs on travel, was difficult for the tourism sector but with the gradual opening of various economic activities and easing of restrictions on the movement of people, Tourism Department has outlined several strategies for the revival of the tourism industry in Nagaland as an eco-adventure, rural tourism destination and also promote it as a ‘Safe Destination’.
Ravi said the Department of Information Technology & Communication developed online Platforms for various Departments to enable Information Sharing, Monitoring, Analysis, Planning, Financial Assistance and providing State Scholarships to eligible students through a transparent Online Platform. He added that the Department developed COVID dashboard for providing the latest information on the COVID pandemic.
Ravi remarked that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed subsequently severely affected many economic activities, which directly affected revenue generation and receipt. He also said that sensing the huge impending revenue shortfall both at the Centre and in the State, the Government has taken measures to reduce expenditure by effecting a 15% pro-rata cut of various expenditure items both under Non-Development and Development Outlay.
Ravi stated that the Government after suitably resolving all the impediments that were there, created and made Noklak district functional will go a long way in giving a further impetus to the development of people living in the bordering areas.
Ravi remarked that the various achievements in various sectors and areas, and the people-oriented policies and programmes outlined is another step in the steady march towards ensuring all round progress to every community and every part of the State.
Advisor Namri Nchang moved the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address at the august house and Advisor Haiying Second the Motion.
(Wepre, Esuihangle & Moro)
