Lok Sabha MP accuses government of resorting to rhetoric

DIMAPUR — Nagaland lone Lok Sabha MP, S Supongmeren Jamir, has accused the union government of resorting to rhetoric instead of offering targeted and pragmatic solutions to address the twin scourges of inflation and unemployment faced by the common people of the country.

Participating in the ongoing discussion on the Budget 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Jamir has objected to the central government’s projections of a 6.7 percent and 6.3 percent unemployment rates in the urban and rural areas respectively, while according to the latest CMIE (Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy) data, the urban and rural unemployment rates are quoted at 9.2 percent and 9.3 percent respectively, stated an update from NPCC communication department.

To buttress his claim, Jamir cited the historic low budgetary allocations of 1.78 percent and 3.5 percent of the total budget to MGNREGA and the Agri and Allied sectors respectively.

In terms of infrastructure and connectivity, the MP questioned the sincerity of the union government’s much touted “Act East Policy,” when improvement of road connectivity in the northeast region did not even get a mention in thes budget.

Delving into issues closer to home, he reminded the August house about the fact that Nagaland was the only state in the country with its capital devoid of air connectivity and drew attention to the false promise of the union government when it had announced the development of an IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research) in Nagaland in the 2015-16 union budget.

He urged the central government to honour its promises and implement the two projects on a priority basis.

The MP also lambasted the union government for blatantly lying to the people of Nagaland when it pompously declared that it had solved the Naga political issue nine years ago on inking of the “Framework Agreement” with the NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015 and “Agreed Position” with the Working Committee of NNPGs on November 17, 2017, when in reality the situation in the state has only deteriorated since then with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act still very much in place.

He has demanded for early implementation of the Agreements to usher in an era of permanent and sustainable peace and development in the state.