Nagaland: TKM, IDAN flag off ALS ambulances for 6 dists

In a major boost to healthcare and education in Nagaland, the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) and Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Thursday organised an asset handing-over and flagging-off ceremony for Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances and other support initiatives at Zone Niathu by the Park, Chümoukedima.
The event was graced by state chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief minister Y. Patton, IDAN chairman Abu Metha, and senior officials from Toyota Kirloskar Motor and the state government. The CSR initiative targets six districts—Kohima, Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Niuland, Tseminyu, and Zunheboto—and includes the provision of ALS ambulances, critical medical equipment, and educational infrastructure support.
Speaking at the programme, chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio congratulated IDAN and Toyota Kirloskar Motor on their meaningful partnership, describing the programme as modest in scale but highly significant for the state. He recalled Toyota’s longstanding engagement with Nagaland, particularly in healthcare, where the company has supported medical services, trauma care, and treatment of sports injuries for over two decades.
Rio also acknowledged Toyota’s consistent contribution during the Hornbill Festival, providing premium vehicles for official use and leaving a positive impression on visitors.
Highlighting the deep historical and growing ties between Nagaland and Japan, the chief minister spoke of cultural exchanges, employment opportunities for Naga youth in Japan, the introduction of Japanese language courses at Nagaland University, and landmark projects such as the Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco Park.
He said these initiatives symbolised enduring friendship, cooperation, and reconciliation rooted in shared history.
Emphasising the critical role of CSR in health and education—two of the state’s top priority sectors—Rio noted that Nagaland’s literacy rate has risen dramatically from 22% at statehood in 1963 to around 96% today.
He stressed the urgent need to extend quality facilities to interior and remote areas, especially in the eastern regions.
Rio called upon the beneficiary departments to utilise the assets effectively and treat them as benchmarks for quality, discipline, cleanliness, ethics, and collective responsibility—inspired by Japanese values.
The chief minister expressed hope for continued collaboration with Toyota to further benefit the people of Nagaland.
State deputy chief minister Y. Patton, in his address, said the initiative would directly strengthen healthcare and education infrastructure across multiple districts. He thanked TKM for partnering with the state government under chief minister Rio’s leadership and appreciated IDAN’s coordination role.
Patton detailed that the healthcare component included ALS ambulances for four healthcare centres and medical as well as non-medical equipment for 11 health institutions.
In education, the support covers two government schools on a pilot basis with furniture, sports equipment, and kitchen items. “These are public assets meant for daily service, not for display,” he emphasised and urged departments to ensure proper maintenance and judicious use.
Speaking to the media persons after the programme, IDAN chairman Abu Metha disclosed that the CSR initiative was finalised within weeks of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TKM. He said discussions began during the Hornbill Festival and earlier meetings in Bengaluru.
Metha stated that assets worth over Rs.10 crore are being distributed across the six districts, including X-ray machines, medical equipment, school furniture, and four fully equipped life-saving ALS ambulances.
IDAN chairman explained that a joint gap analysis by Toyota’s team and the health department identified specific needs at each facility.
To ensure transparency and 100% on-ground utilisation, he said no CSR funds were routed through IDAN. Metha added that Toyota managed procurement, installation, and implementation directly through its vendors.
While time constraints limited this phase to six districts, Metha said future initiatives would prioritise interior and backward regions.
The programme began with opening remarks by Abu Metha followed by a short presentation and message from Vikram Gulati, executive vice president & country head – corporate affairs & governance, TKM.