DIMAPUR, AUG 15 (NPN): Dimapur joined the rest of the country in celebrating the 80th Independence Day at the Dimapur District Sports Council (DDSC) Stadium on Saturday, with minister for women resource development and horticulture Salhoutuonuo Kruse as chief guest.
The programme began with the unfurling of the Tricolour and Rashtriya Salute, followed by inspection of the parade and the Independence Day address by the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Kruse said the state government remained committed to the all-round progress of every community and region of Nagaland, with emphasis on equitable and inclusive development.
She stressed the need to create livelihood opportunities and enable people, particularly women and youth, to become more self-reliant. She said development efforts must strengthen grassroots income-generating activities and help communities build sustainable livelihoods.
Highlighting the expansion of horticulture in the state, Kruse said the department of horticulture, under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, had increased coverage of fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers and plantation crops by more than 2,800 hectares.
She said proposals were also under process to establish two Centres of Excellence—one for kiwifruit at Pfutsero in Phek district and another for Dendrobium orchids at the State Horticulture Nursery in Chümoukedima.
On agriculture and allied sectors, Kruse said the Nagaland Agriculture Policy, 2025, had been approved and notified, providing a roadmap for transforming the sector into a resilient, sustainable and prosperous economy. The policy aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods, strengthen food and nutrition security and promote climate-resilient growth, she said.
She also noted that the Agriculture Department had launched the Unified Digital Agriculture Ecosystem under the Digital Agriculture Mission to strengthen farmer-centric digital infrastructure.
Kruse highlighted progress in piggery, goatery, fisheries and coffee production. She said 1,600 tonnes of meat had been produced through piggery and goatery under the National Livestock Mission in partnership with local producers.
She also referred to the memorandum of understanding signed between the state government and French pork processing company Cooperl on July 14 as a step towards modernising Nagaland’s piggery sector through scientific breeding and improved farming practices.
Fish production under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana had increased from 9,151.50 metric tonnes to 11,158.9 metric tonnes, she said.
On coffee, Kruse said the Rs. 175-crore Cluster-based Coffee Value Chain Development in Nagaland project was jointly launched on May 18. Pilot clusters were being developed at Tuophema for Arabica coffee and Ghotovi for Robusta coffee, with plans for hi-tech nurseries, post-harvest infrastructure, roasteries and branding to establish “Coffees of Nagaland” as a premium single-origin brand.
Ten exhibition stalls showcasing government initiatives, locally produced goods, traditional products and public services were set up as part of the celebrations. The participating departments and organisations included Agriculture, Horticulture, District Rural Development Agency under the Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission, District Industries Centre, Nagaland Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation, Health and Family Welfare, Cooperation, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Dimapur District Legal Services Authority and Dimapur Police Commissionerate Family Welfare.
Kruse inaugurated the exhibition stalls, which provided an opportunity to showcase local products, livelihood activities and public services.
A large crowd attended the celebrations, which also featured patriotic performances and folk dances. The programme concluded with prize distribution and a retreat ceremony by 15 Assam Rifles.
The parade was commanded by BHM Havildar Khekato Sema, with nine contingents participating, including Dimapur Police Commissionerate; Home Guard, Civil Defence and SDRF; ex-servicemen; NCC Dimapur Government College; NCC Greenwood Higher Secondary School, Dimapur; Scouts and Guides of Holy Cross Higher Secondary School, Dimapur; MGM Higher Secondary School, Dimapur; and the 15 Assam Rifles Band Platoon.