Nagaland government committed to addressing issues related to foothills road project, says Hekani Jakhalu

DIMAPUR — The government of Nagaland is committed to addressing the issues related to the foothills road project with all seriousness, said Advisor of Industries and Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu, on Friday.

She was replying to a query about the disputed area linked to the project and the regions under consideration for oil exploration during an interaction with the media after inaugurating a seminar on ‘Industries Business and Entrepreneurship via the Foothills Road’ at The Four Season Hotel in Dimapur.

It’s been a decade since the foothills road project was initiated in 2013 but due to certain constraints and changes in the policy of the planning commission, the Special Plan Assistance (SPA) associated with it was discontinued, leading to the cessation of funding under the SPA programme, she said.

While maintaining that she is currently not responsible for overseeing these areas, Jakhalu said the state government is actively engaged in examining and renegotiating potential solutions that would be most beneficial for the region.

Describing it as one of the most challenging projects the state is facing, she said the completion deadline was extended due to numerous issues in the past and that it is important for the public to realise that the funding for this project is not within the direct control of the state government.

She added that the recent meeting between the state chief minister and the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has infused hope of getting financial support for the foothills road project, and that it was also discussed during the Nagaland Assembly session.

Lamenting that unverified allegations are causing fractures within the Naga society and social media invading their lives, the advisor said many issues begin with baseless allegations without proper verification, while urging the public to exercise caution and verify facts before levelling accusations.

On her experience in NLA

When asked about her experience as one of the two female MLAs in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) over the past few months, Jakhalu replied that upon joining the government, she thought she would be able to dedicate about 90% of her time primarily on policymaking and development but it was a different story in reality.

She added that approximately 90% of her time is occupied by matters related to her constituency, leaving her with only about 10% to 15% of her time for policymaking activities.

In regard to the low participation of people in availing various schemes offered by several departments, she pointed to two key issues. Firstly, there is a need for extensive awareness programmes, and secondly, accessing schemes often involves a significant amount of documentation and compliance, which the Naga people might not prefer, as they seek shortcuts, she said.

She, therefore, stressed on the need for nurturing the mentality of the youth to value hard work as a means to earn money.

The advisor also announced that Unity Mall will be established at the District Industries Centre (DIC) office in Chümoukedima, within the old sugar mill premises, and that the land which belongs to the Directorate of Industries is about 5 to 6 acres in area.

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