Govt aggressively pursuing setting-up planned city- ‘Nagaki Global City’, says Rio
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio urged upon the corporate houses to explore investment opportunities in the Northeast, particularly Nagaland. He said this while addressing a gathering of corporate leaders and officials from across the country during the Regional CXO Meet 2023 Thursday, under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and hosted by Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM), at Noune Resort, Seithekiema.
The meet was held on the theme “Transforming rural youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce”.
Rio called upon the gathering to take advantage of the fact that the region was the gateway to Southeast Asian countries.
Acknowledging the various opportunities created in the region by the Centre under the Act East policy, Rio pointed out that it would be advantageous for companies to invest and set up their units in the region. Dispelling apprehensions about peace and security, Rio claimed that the region had witnessed positive changes. Referring to the National Crime Bureau Report of 2021, he said Nagaland recorded the lowest crime rate against women and low crime rates, making it a safe state.
He announced the state’s aggressive pursuit of a planned city – Nagaki Global City – to facilitate ease of doing business and attract potential investors to come and establish sustainable commercial hubs for the state and the Northeast.
He assured conducive environment for all interested investors, reiterating his appeal to contribute to Nagaland’s growth.
He described the youth of the region as multi-talented, ready to adapt and tech savvy. He also appreciated the increasing trend of rural youth seeking skill development and opting for job placements in private companies by breaking away from the dependency on government jobs.
Referring to the inherent strengths of the youth from the region, Rio cited their adaptability to new trends, tech savvy, English fluency, etc. With English as the primary medium of instruction in schools across the region, he said the youth from the Northeast were well positioned to contribute significantly to the IT and service industries, catering not only to the country but also the global workforce.
Rio acknowledged the presence of senior-level representatives from prominent companies at the meet, highlighting the successful integration of youth from the Northeast into the corporate world. He commended the commitment of the employers to equitable nation-building, especially amidst the global employment challenges.
He suggested that companies leverage their skills by establishing academies in the hospitality sector and also highlighted the advantages of a conducive environment for investment by IT companies, given the readily available quality workforce.
Rio further proposed exploring avenues in sports, music, and performing arts, aligning with the natural physical fitness of the region’s youth and rich cultural heritage. He opined that converting these aspects into sustainable livelihoods could address unemployment and fulfil the aspirations of rural youth.
Dwelling on the potential in traditional craftsmanship, he suggested establishment of small manufacturing hubs, tapping the region’s expertise in bamboo, cane, and woodcrafts for sustainable rural economic development.
Meanwhile, delivering the keynote address as a special guest, joint secretary of Rural Skills, Ministry of Rural Development, Karma Zimpa Bhutia commended Team Nagaland for exemplary efforts in providing international placements to rural youth successfully in sectors such as airlines and hospitality under DDU-GKY.
He said Nagaland was at the forefront vis-à-vis DDU-GKY in many aspects, noting that such accomplishments had seen rural Naga youth working in renowned hotels, cruises, and airlines globally, showcasing the programme’s effectiveness.
He also informed the gathering that Nagaland was one of the few states in the country to have set up Migration Support Centre in Dwarka, Delhi, in collaboration with the Police Department, providing crucial support to rural youth working in metro cities.
Referring to the DDU-GKY programme, he explained that it was a placement-linked skill development initiative, primarily focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities for rural youth, equipping them with essential skills for higher-paying jobs in the formal sector.
He said continuous support for placed youth was a key provision under DDU GKY, adding that NSRLM had been organizing alumni meets in key placement cities, fostering sense of community and support among rural youth.
He highlighted the challenges specific to the Northeast, including lack of major employers in the region and reluctance of candidates to migrate due to cultural differences.
Bhutia stressed the importance of events like the CXO meet in providing candidates with realistic industry perspective, enhancing retention.
Shedding light on the placement rate, he disclosed that out of the 1,08,935 trained candidates from eight North-eastern states, 60,419 (55%) got jobs, which he opined underscored the unique challenges faced by the region.
He maintained that organising CXO meets enabled industry leaders from various sectors to come together and discuss creating a robust labour market, customised for the special requirements of the region.
To ensure that rural youth from the Northeast derived full benefit of DDU-GKY, he proposed organising more such meets, job fairs and frequent meets of industry leaders/employers with project implementing agencies and candidates. He hoped that this would go a long way in providing sustainable employment to rural youth.
On the occasion, Rio also launched a magazine titled “100 Success Stories”.
The programme was chaired by Rural Development joint secretary and NSRLM mission director Imtimenla and programme manager, mobilisation, Ebibeni Humtsoe, while invocation was offered by senior minister, Father’s House Church Global, Rev Robert Kikon.
Short speeches were also delivered by director, monitoring and evaluation, DDU-GKY NIRDPR, Hyderabad, L Sudhakara Reddy and mission director & COO, DDU-GKY Sikkim, Bishal Rai, while a melodious choral piece was presented by trainees of ASSOCHAM and vote of thanks offered by COO (Skills), NSRLM, Menuoneituo Chadi.
The chief minister was accompanied by NLA speaker Sharingain Longkumer, deputy CM TR Zeliang, Rural Development minister Metsubo Jamir, Women Resource Development & Horticulture minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse and Sukhato A Sema, MLA.