All educational institutions in the State will continue to remain shut till further notice. This was confirmed by chief secretary Temjen Toy.
Speaking to media here on Thursday, Temjen Toy said the government was not ready to reopen schools and colleges immediately. He thanked Doordarshan Kendra, Kohima and All India Radio, Kohima for agreeing to broadcast daily lessons for students from Friday.
On lockdown: Toy said the State government was awaiting further instructions from the Centre regarding the lockdown that expires on May 3, besides new guidelines post the lockdown. Toy said he assumed that the new guidelines would mostly have to do with demarcating areas into red, orange and green zones, adding that respective states would chart out their own course of action. With regard to Nagaland, he remarked that new measures would have to be taken in a calculative manner.
“We are on the process of looking out for more relaxations and will issue our own guidelines and safety measures after studying the overall situation. We will take our own independent decision in line with the Government of India guidelines and neighbouring States,” Toy explained.
On COVID cess: On the issue of Covid-19 cess on diesel, petrol to meet financial exigencies amid lockdown, Toy pointed out that Nagaland was almost entirely dependent on funds from the Centre. But now the State’s fiscal condition was precarious and funds earmarked for various welfare measures was less than what the government had budgeted for, he admitted.
“Forget other departments, our expenditure on health and agriculture are now becoming thrust areas, but without money these would be very difficult to sustain,” he remarked.
CM relief: On the issue of the bank accounts where relief money was credited and later got debited, the chief secretary said some applicants had given account numbers of their friends and relatives as they did not have bank accounts. And as the amount was credited twice or thrice in the same account, certain problems cropped up, he added.
He however claimed that the government got in touch with students who had shared the same bank accounts and got the issued resolved. As per data, 7714 individuals (4476 working people, 2522 students and 116 patients) from Nagaland stranded outside have been given cash assistance.
Stranded workers, students: Referring to stranded migrant workers and students, the chief secretary mentioned that two issues had emerged – those stranded in Nagaland wanted to return to their respective home States, while those from Nagaland stuck outside wanted to return home.
He clarified that the Nagaland government did not have any issue and was in position to send stranded people to their respective States, but provided their home States were ready to receive them and made proper arrangements for taking them. Toy said that the State was yet to get the actual figure of those that are to return.
He explained, “It’s not that we don’t want them to come, it’s just that we want to avoid total chaos and make their homecoming seamless as far as possible. The Home ministry has been issuing guidelines on migrant labours, tourists, etc. Neighbouring States had made arrangements for bringing back their students. But as far as Nagaland is concerned, we have a committee looking into this. The latest guidelines on quarantining such people have come and we are minutely examining them. Once we are ready, we will get in touch with those stuck outside.”
While it was not a problem for the neighbouring States in terms of logistics, he admitted that getting people stuck in far-off places like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, etc, posed some problem, adding that these would have to be sorted out in conjunction with Government of India.
Court order: Reacting to a Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench order, Toy said a meeting was held with officials of the department concerned and that they would soon be replying with affidavits as directed. They would be presenting facts which the court might not be aware of, he added.
Expressing happiness that some villages were earning Rs 80,000 from backyard farming during the lockdown, the chief secretary remarked that Nagaland had tremendous potential in agriculture. He said the current situation was a good opportunity for people to help make the State become self-sufficient in terms of food.
He said, “We have the potential to produce enough to feed our people. But to do this, we need to change our mindset and go back to farming.”
He called for restraint while using social media in current times and to use the platforms more responsibly.