BAN supports CNTC stand on oil exploration

Business Association of Nagas (BAN) extended unequivocal support to Central Nagaland Tribes Council’s (CNTC) stand on petroleum exploration and production in Nagaland, as it was one of the most pressing requirements for the State’s economy.
BAN president L Mongkum Jamir and general secretary Dr Yan Murry in a statement however cautioned that unless the state explored and capitalised on the natural resources available in the State now, it would rather be late to make gainful usage of the potential resources.
Pointing out that one of the major challenges that the present world economy faced was energy security, they said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion in the international fora about India’s enhanced renewable energy target of 450 GW meant that in less than 10 years, renewable energy would account for 57% of the country’s installed capacity. Quoting experts that by 2030 non-fossil fuel capacity could be as much as 65%, they forecasted that this would bring about a major shift in the way energy was harvested.
Currently, they said global transport was heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which was expected to decline drastically in coming years.
When the world was heading towards renewable economy, they wondered why people were still holding back on oil exploration and production.
They also asked why the government was not acting seriously on exploration & production of fossil fuel in Nagaland when the State’s fiscal deficit was mounting and the economy was reeling at all-time low.
They said Nagaland’s Gross State Domestic Product contribution to national GDP was hardly 0.147%, while the State had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
The duo mentioned that while Assam government earned more than Rs 2,000 crore revenueannually from oil royalty alone, Nagaland had earned nothing from oil production for the past three decades despite the claims of having huge potential. “Whom should we blame for this choking economy if not for ourselves,” they added.
They alleged that inactivity of successive State governments, delusion of considerable national workers, sycophancy in several Naga organisations and beggars’ mentality amongst many of “our” people had brought the State to this stage.
Claiming that there were lakhs of frustrated youth who would do anything to protect their existential threat unless infrastructure and avenues were created to accommodate them in a meaningful and productive engagement, the BAN leaders appealed to the government to act proactively towards building the right environment and open up exploration of fossil fuel in the State without further delay.