Kenye lauds discussion on MSMEs, thanks CM for LADF enhancement

Minister for power and parliamentary affairs K.G. Kenye on Thursday lauded the recent discussion on MSMEs in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, describing it as one of the most clear, focused and constructive deliberations by young legislators.
Speaking during the fifth day of the eighth session of the 14th Assembly, Kenye said the members had effectively voiced the concerns of people from their respective constituencies while also presenting a broader perspective on the challenges faced by society and the state.
Appreciating the deliberations, he said several important issues had been highlighted that required attention. In response to the concerns raised in the House, he noted that the leader of the House and chief minister Neiphiu Rio had immediately addressed the grievances expressed by members and made generous announcements.
Kenye said he took responsibility for not being able to reciprocate that generosity earlier in the House but expressed, on behalf of the members and people of the state’s 60 Assembly constituencies, deep gratitude to the chief minister.
He pointed out that Rio had announced an increase in the Local Area Development Fund (LADF), which earlier stood at Rs 2 crore, with an additional allocation of Rs 25 lakh. According to Kenye, the enhanced fund would contribute to further development, particularly in the MSME sector.
Kenye also acknowledged the pioneering leadership of earlier leaders who had introduced the concept of area development schemes. He said the initiative, comparable to the Area Development Scheme, was later adopted by the Government of India as a grassroots-level planning mechanism to address immediate needs of the people.
He further said the concept aligned with provisions of the Nagaland Village and Area Council Act 1978, where the policy framework and structure were already in place though a funding mechanism was initially lacking.
According to him, the issue was addressed in the late 1980s when allocations were made through the District Planning Boards, which later evolved into the Constituency Development Scheme. Kenye noted that the concept was eventually adopted at the national level as the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which continues to be implemented and periodically enhanced.
He said that in Nagaland the mechanism had significantly helped address immediate developmental needs, particularly in rural areas.
Kenye also mentioned that apart from enhancing the LADF, the chief minister had announced an additional provision of about Rs 50 lakh for areas categorised as underdeveloped or backward regions across all tribes and districts.
With these provisions, he expressed confidence that more initiatives could be undertaken to train youth interested in learning various trades and skills.
Referring to points raised during the discussion under Rule 50, he cited traditional trades such as pottery, blacksmithing, marble work and cobbling as potential livelihood opportunities. He added that although such skills might not be highly technical, they could provide practical employment and benefits to communities.
Kenye concluded by saying that while many areas still required attention, the new initiatives provided confidence that development efforts would continue. He once again congratulated and thanked Rio for his support and initiatives.