Addressing the Eleventh Session of the Thirteenth Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Governor, Nagaland, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi said he was elated to address the August House, where the members had come together to form an opposition-less Government, the United Democratic Alliance Government, to pursue an early solution to the Naga Political Issue.
The Governor highlighted the consultative meeting on Naga Peace Process held on 9th March 2022 with various organizations, political parties, and all the members of the NLA, where a resolution was adopted reiterating the Naga peoples’ yearning for an early political solution. He said the resolution called upon all the negotiating parties to arrive at a political solution that is honorable, inclusive, transparent, and acceptable to the people and resolved to appeal to all sections to make renewed efforts towards unity and understanding to work towards One Solution and One Agreement. He hoped that with the concern being shown by everyone, the long-cherished solution will soon become a reality and a new era of peace and prosperity will begin in the State.
On the Oting incident, he stated that the Government took every possible step to lessen the pain of the victim families. It provided prompt succour in the form of monetary compensation; a job in the State Government to the next of kin of all the deceased and the entire medical care needs of those injured was looked after by the District Administration. He also said that it approached the Government of India for taking up certain developmental projects in the affected areas, which besides assuring the traumatized populace, will also help in faster development of the area. Prof. Mukhi added that the Special Investigation Team investigating the matter has worked at a good pace and has completed its investigation and that the Army has also constituted a Court of Inquiry in the matter and it is also expected to complete its inquiry soon.
Shedding a light on the sector in the State, the Governor stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the capabilities and health capacities of the State like never before. He asserted the Government besides taking several preventive measures and curbs to curtail the spread of the virus, also took all possible steps to ramp up the health infrastructure and ensure all the necessary medical interventions for the treatment of the infected, and to save lives. As part of its efforts to combat the COVID-19 and be prepared for the future, he said the State Government has significantly improved the health infrastructure of the State. He also urged the public to get fully vaccinated at the earliest.
Highlighting the creation of the four new districts of the State, Prof. Mukhi stated that the Government has always been for taking every possible step to bring development to the doorstep of every person. He said the creation of Tseminyu district realizes the aspirations of the Rengma people to have a district of their own and Shamator district’s creation is also the fulfillment of the desire of the Yimkhiung and Tikhir people to have a separate district and resolving their decades-old disputes amicably, which also led to the recognition of Tikhir as a separate Naga Tribe. He added the up-gradation of Niuland to a full-fledged district was required on administrative grounds, and the creation of Chumoukedima district resolved the matter regarding the headquarters of the erstwhile Dimapur district. On the demands received for the creation of new districts, he said the Government, keeping with the Motto of Unity, would not like to divide any single-tribe district.
Stressing on the need to have duly elected bodies for governing towns and cities, he said the issue of elections for the Urban Local Bodies in the State, has been resolved in the Consultative Meeting held on 9th March 2022, to conduct the elections as per the 74th Amendment Act of the Constitution. The Governor said the general law and order situation in the State has remained by and large peaceful. On the issue of the inter-state borders in Mokokchung with Assam, which became tense due to stand-offs between the police forces of Nagaland and Assam, he said the situation was diffused in time by ensuring the simultaneous withdrawal of the police personnel of both the States, after reaching a joint agreement. He expressed happiness that the August House has constituted a Select Committee headed by the Chief Minister to examine and inter alia find ways for amicable settlement of the Border Issue of the State with Assam, and that the Committee has taken positive steps towards this end.
Prof. Mukhi said he was delighted to note that the State Government is also taking steps to resolve the issues concerning oil and petroleum exploration. He said the Chief Minister of Assam has positively indicated for equally dividing the proceeds of Petroleum and Oil exploration and extraction between the two states in sectors A, B and C in the DAB area. He also expressed for continuation in the steps, seeking the cooperation of the Government of India and the Government of Assam for resolving the matter. Outside the DAB, for exploration and extraction, he said the Government of India has to recognize the ownership for the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland and the constitutional protection granted to them under Article 371(A) of the Constitution regarding the transfer of land and its resources, and thereafter devise a mutually agreed, suitable mechanism for payment of royalty and issue of PELs. He added the Government will continue in its efforts to resolve the matter for the benefit of the people of the state and the country.
The Governor stated that implementing the online ILP module for all the categories of ILP in the State is an appreciated step towards e-governance. He said the Chief Minister of Nagaland inaugurated the 11th NAP (IR) Battalion Headquarters at Aboi on April 29, 2021, and unveiled the Foundation Plaque of the Nagaland Police Sports Battalion on the 12th of November 2021. He informed that the Nagaland Police 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 and the Department during the year 2021, seized drugs worth Rs. 64.19 crore.
He stated that the Regional Response Centre (RRC), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) occupied its site at Chiechama, Kohima and the District Jail at Longleng was inaugurated on 18th November 2021.
Terming the agriculture sector as the mainstay of the State’s economy, the Agri & Allied Departments have made necessary interventions for alleviating the hardships faced by the farmers. Prof. Mukhi said the Agriculture Department has certified 13,000 hectares under organic certification to get a premium price for the farmers, with the Organic AC Market in Dimapur under Nagaland State Agriculture Marketing Board (NSAMB) facilitating the marketing of 230.00 metric tonnes of organic food products till date and added that the newly constructed District Agriculture Office at Tuensang was inaugurated on 8th February 2022.
He said the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services is setting up three Model Piggery Farms at an estimated cost of Rs. 300.00 lakh with funding from NABARD to produce piglets for enhancing finisher pig. Similarly, to develop other species of livestock, the Department under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) has established one Gokul Gram on Mithun at Jotsoma Village Community Reserved Forest. The facility has a capacity for production of up to 200 Pure Naga Mithun (Male line). Further, one Community Thotho Cattle Farm at Kidima Village has also been established having a capacity of 200 Indigenous Thotho, he added. He stated that the Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources envisages local production of about 9,150 metric tonnes during the year 2021-22 and in addition, a bulk quantity of 3,700 metric tonne fish is being supplemented from outside the State to meet the demand for fish consumption. The Governor stated that Sericulture Department during the year 2021-22, has taken up an area of 1,000 acres of land for cultivation of Silkworm host plants and silkworm rearing activities under both State and Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
To address the farmers’ needs and to know their soil status, he stated that a “State Soil Testing Laboratory’ at Kohima was inaugurated by Union Minister, Kishan Reddy on 24th September 2021 and full-fledged Soil Testing Laboratories (STL) have been established in all the districts.
He informed that the Department of Rural Development under MGNREGS during 2021-22, received a total of Rs. 46,932.37 lakh with the Central share being Rs. 42,575.09 lakh against a total of 8,596 works/projects. A total of 4.54 lakh job cards have been issued and 7.49 lakh workers registered. In 2021-22, a total of 139.36 lakh person-days employment was generated. Under PMAY-G, for the year 2022-23, an amount of Rs. 1740.67 lakh as Centre’s share and Rs. 193.32 lakh as State share have been earmarked with a target to construct 5,900 houses in the State, he added.
Prof. Mukhi said the Department of Underdeveloped Areas (DUDA) launched the Mongken Apparel and Home furnishing production at Dimapur in September 2021. Under Pradhan Mantri Van DhanYojana (PMVDY) programme under TRIFED, the Department is partnering with Tribes India for joint retail network and marketing of local products.
He stated the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is implementing the Nagaland Forest Management project, which is an Externally Aided project funded by JICA, Government of Japan and it has so far covered 91 villages across the State in two batches. The Department is implementing another Externally Aided Project, under Indo – German Financial Cooperation from KfW, Germany called “Forest and Biodiversity Management in the Himalaya, Nagaland” for conservation of bio-diversity rich areas and livelihood improvement. The State Forest Development Agency under the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) has brought an area of 63,933 hectares covering 1,161 villages under afforestation, he said.
The Governor stated that the Department of School Education has conducted ‘Online Tele/Radio Educational Broadcast’ for the benefit of all students across the State during the lockdown period and has also developed the ‘Nagaland Education Management And Information System (NEMIS)’ to monitor the functioning of all types of Schools including Child Tracking in the State on a real-time basis. Nagaland has made appreciable progress in the implementation of the ‘National Education Policy 2020’ which commenced in a phased manner from the later part of 2020. The Department is implementing the World Bank assisted Project, ‘The Nagaland Education Project – The Lighthouse (NECTAR)’ since April 2021 which aims to improve the State School Governance Index, improve in teaching, and enhance the overall learning environment in Government Schools.
He further added that with the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the State Government has designated the SCERT as the nodal agency for the development of the State Curriculum Framework (SCF) in line with the NEP 2020.
The Governor highlighted that the Department of Higher and Technical Education, through the Centrally sponsored scheme of RUSA, is constructing among others a Professional College of Music & Fine Arts at Tsiesema, Kohima, one Engineering College at Tzurangsa, Mokokchung and one New Model Degree College at Tzupaksa, Mokokchung, The National Board of Accreditation (NBA) New Delhi has approved the accreditation status for Civil Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs for the academic years 2021-22 to 2023-2024 at Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu. He also added that the Academic Session of the newly established Government Polytechnic Aboi, Mon, has started from the year 2021-22 with Civil Engineering Course with an intake capacity of 30 students.
The Governor also addressed that the Department of Geology and Mining under the Regional Coal Exploration program, exploration of an area covering 13.7 sq. km in Changki Block has been completed with an estimated deposit of 148.86 MMT. Exploration of limestone in Salumi Block, Kiphire District covering an area of 0.79 sq. km has also been completed with estimated deposits of 7.59 MMT. The Department has also carried out geological mapping of Nickel-Cobalt-Chromium-Magnetite in Mollen-Jopi-Ziphu areas of 103 sq. km under Phek District, the Governor stated.
Governor also added that the Department of Industries and Commerce has set up six clusters, and 550 Artisans have been trained, at Longwa, Pfutsero, Longleng, Gathashi, Jalukie and Tuli.
The Governor highlighted that the Department of Information and Public Relations through the Nagaland Journalists’ Operational Subsidy provides journalists with less than five years’ experience Rs. 4000 monthly, and Rs. 6000 monthly to those with more than five years’ experience. As of June 2021, there are 52 State Accredited Journalists. The Department has also launched its Mobile App ‘DIPR Nagaland’ on 1st December 2021, he added.
On implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the State, the Governor stated that the Department of Public Health Engineering has provided 222 habitations with 100% Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC). The Department also plans to cover a total of 513 habitations with drinking water supply under JJM during 2022-23, he added.
Governor Mukhi stated focus of future employment generation cannot be in the Government Sector but the organized and un-organized private sector and the State Government have been facilitating self-employment through its various self-employment and capacity-building programs under the Employment Generation Fund. He also added that under the Chief Minister Corpus Fund 47 tractors with accessories were distributed to farmers while financial assistance was provided to 80 entrepreneurs for self-employment in Sawmill, hardware shop, mechanized furniture unit, garment shop, pharmacy, grocery shop, stone crusher, etc. He also added that 18 Naga students have been sponsored for studying at Netaji Subash Chandra Sainik School run by Lokseva Trust at Pune.
To reduce expenditure from power purchase, Governor Mukhi stated that the Department of Power has enhanced renewable energy generation in line with the Government of India’s policy for renewable capacity addition and has proposed four sustainable projects. These projects are expected to generate total annual energy of 38.41 Million Units. The Department has also signed a power purchase agreement for sourcing power from the 20 MW Solar Power Plant coming up at Ganeshnagar in Chumoukedima district in the private sector.
The Governor informed that the Tribal Affairs Department has completed the selection of sites for 11 (eleven) EMR schools across the State for the year 2021-22. The Schools have been sanctioned for Rs. 26 crore each by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
He also highlighted that the Department of Women Resource Development has been able to train 250 women farmers in four districts on Post-Harvest Management of Resources, Soft Skills, Marketing, and Menstrual Health Management as part of a convergence program with the Department of Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship under the Community Based Skill Development Programme for Women (SANKALP Project).
The Governor stated that as part of the endeavor to scale up the State’s existing sports facilities up to the world standard level, the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima has been designated as Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) in three disciplines, namely, Wrestling, Archery, and Boxing under Khelo India Centre (KIC). The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India) has approved the opening of 19 KICs in 11 Districts of Nagaland for various disciplines like Football, Shooting, Badminton, Table Tennis, Archery, and Hockey.
The first batch of beneficiaries of the Chief Minister’s Scholarship for Music 2021 has been sent to undergo a three-month customized professional course in music at KM Music Conservatory, Chennai Tamil Nadu. Under infrastructure works, the State’s 1st Regional Centre for Sporting Excellence (RCSE) for Archery, Shooting discipline, Adventure & Motor Sports, and Futsal at Sovima was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland on 27th January 2022, he added.
The State has set ambitious targets for inclusive development within the State and has already formulated its Sustainable Development Goals Vision 2030 document. ‘Nagaland SDG Vision 2030: Leaving No One Behind’ was launched in August 2021. It has been prepared through a participatory approach to create a holistic pathway for the inclusive development of Nagaland.
(Wepre and Akummeren)
