Mulls 2016 as ‘Year of Construction Workers’; MSME announces Rs. 10k cr for state
Nagaland chief minister, T.R. Zeliang on Saturday said that the state government would be ready to announce 2016 as the “Year of Construction Workers” provided the YouthNet (YN) and the youths of Nagaland were mentally prepared to produce the work force.
Addressing the second day of the ‘Nagaland Youth Summit’, organized by YouthNet at NBCC convention centre here, Zeliang informed the gathering that the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Kalraj Mishra has also “announced Rs. 10,000 crore to be sanctioned for Nagaland”.
The chief minister, who is also the chief patron of YouthNet, said the minister had further asked all North Eastern states to submit Detailed Project Report (DPR) for micro development and food processing unit. With regard to this, Zeliang appealed to the youths to be mentally prepared. Stating that the government’s plan to constitute “Investment Board” has been kept in cold storage due to negative reaction, Zeliang, however, said “If the youths were prepared to support this venture, the matter would be taken to cabinet and brought up in assembly”. He said the government would not hesitate to go ahead with the investment board as job in government sector has reached its zenith.
Lamenting that there was hue and cry after the government passed the Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZs) even before explaining the concept, Zeliang asked the youths to understand the concept and explain its benefit to the people.
Taking note of the lack of local construction workers in the state, Zeliang, however, was optimistic that Nagas could equally do good or even better. He said government was ready to come out with special schemes or missions to be implemented in collaboration with NGOs, provided a good proposal could be worked out and submitted to the government.
Further, Zeliang asked YN to help identify the right people from every district along with types of crops/activities they could take up such as value addition of the products through processing units. He said the state government would help them in securing the bank loans and try to provide beneficiaries share in the form of working capital subsidy besides government schemes.
Delivering special address, MP Lok Sabha and former chief minister Neiphiu Rio stressed on the “Rurban Mission” introduced by Prime Minster, a new concept to provide urban amenities in rural areas.
He said the mission could be started in foothill areas starting from Tizit, Myanmar border and Tuli.
Rio further informed that in three years, Centre would be selecting 300 Rurban mission. However, he lamented that Nagaland did not surface in list announced every year. He said the state should take the opportunity since the Centre would be listing out the states from April.
On Naga political issue, Rio reiterated that the Centre has recognized Naga issue as a political issue understanding the uniqueness of Nagas.
Discussing on the “role of young legislators in state building”, advisor to CM, Merentoshi Jamir pointed out that young legislators in the state, who were below 40 years, comprised 10% of the house.
He was of the opinion that there should be more young legislators, who should comprise at least 40% in the house to bring a change.
Parliamentary secretary planning and coordination, evaluation, Neiba Kronu stressed on the need to change and revamp the prevailing working system in the state.
He pointed out that the home department and education department alone have used more than Rs. 900 crores from the state’s exchequer, as non-plan expenditure.
Kronu lamented that for 2016-17 developmental activities, the state has been left with only Rs. 580 crores, which was not even equivalent to the non-plan expenditure of one department.
He said that according to NITI Aayog, non-plan expenditure should not exceed more than 35%, however the non-plan expenditure has crossed 65%.
Kronu further apprised that land compensation for four-lane was expedited and work to be started this year. He said planning commission had worked out a vision document to address the traffic problem by constructing ring roads for Kohima or Dimapur.
Kronu also informed that works for airport at Razhuphema was going to take off.
Parliamentary secretary for labour and employment, skill development and border affairs, Mmhonlumo Kikon felt that in order to bring fundamental systematic change in governance of the state, principal understanding should be that “we are in it together”.
He also spoke on discrepancy in the way policy was taken in the state and non-rationalization of population ratio with development priority.
Editor Morung Express, Akum Longchari suggested “practical solutions” for young legislators such as honesty, humility and respect, conduct free, fair and clean election campaigns that were issue based, end the culture of taking commissions and growing culture of elitism.
He also suggested focusing on quality value-based education, exercise shared responsibility by repealing the Disturbed Areas Act and to think and act out of the system.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Youth Summit also submitted the following recommendations to the government– on good governance- Enable public participation at all levels especially the youth at pre policy stage of consultation and implementation process and make use of all forms of media for engaging citizens’ participation.
On entrepreneurship- to set up an Entrepreneurship cell that will provide entrepreneurship skills and work with banks to provide, 100 units financing under CGTSME (credit guaranteed small and medium enterprise) up to an amount of 1 Crore and 1000 units financing under Mudra-Tarun up to 10 lakhs annually.
On skills building- to declare the year 2016 as the year of construction workers, to give an opportunity to skilled candidates from local training institutes, set up BPOs in Nagaland, outsource government projects to the private sector and to start soft skills classes from the school level.
The second day also observed plenary sessions on “skilling young Nagas- the way forward” and “young Nagas as ambassador of Christ”.
Earlier, keynote address was delivered by former chief secretary and chief mentor YN, Alemtemshi Jamir, while opening remarks by director YN, Hekani Jakhalu.
Special address was delivered by CMD. HN Company infra Pvt. Ltd., Hukato Naga. The gathering was enthralled through “coat of many colors” by Moajungla and music by Polar lights.
Meanwhile, the chief minister also gave away “YN’s trailblazer award” to Theja Meru.