Principal Correspondent
Kohima, May 24
New Chief Minister TR Zeliang today assured the Naga people equal development in all the districts, to bring permanent peace, early resolution of the protracted Naga political issue besides constituting state investment board, law commission and also to explore the available mineral resources to make the state reliant.
Addressing a press conference after taking over CM’s chair in New Secretariat here, Zeliang said, “Today we will be looking forward to step into the new perception and we assure that my government will continue the good work of former CM Neiphiu Rio with improvement.”
“The stress will be to spread out development to all the districts and to remove imbalance among the districts,” he said while pointing out that Nagaland is not only Kohima and Dimapur but there are also other nine districts which also need special attention of the government.
In the name of development, only Kohima and DImapur used to be named and that is a wrong perception, he said adding “we have a governance system in Kohima, and we have to spread the hands to other nine districts and see the imbalance”.
“So my government will stress that every district is taken into consideration and we will always remember the nook and corner of the State. That is our commitment,” he added.Noting that economic engagement is the need of the hour for the Naga people, he said, “I want landowner, village council, district administration and the government to work in one voice, one pace and one vision so that investment and industry come to each district for generating district-wise local employment particularly for the youth.”
“Unless investment comes to our state we cannot expect the youth to be employed,” he said. “If we can create conducive atmosphere, there is no dearth of investment coming to our State.”
“It is only because of the environment that everybody is scared to come, but under this government we will create conducive atmosphere in the state,” he said.
“Naga people talk about peace, and during the last 11 years, we could maintain peaceful atmosphere in our State but permanent peace is yet to return to our State,” he observed while also asserting that “we will our level best and assure the people of Nagaland, we will bring permanent peace to our land so that our people can prosper and youth can be employed. Otherwise at this stage, we cannot compete with the rest of the country.”
He opined that as part of the economic engagement, North East Regional Economic Front (not political) should be set up so that the state governments in the region are closely tied up with proper economic exchange and exploitations.
The first time Chief Minister also announced, “We are going to constitute State Investment Board to focus on economic investment and a State Law Commission to continuously advise the government on reframing the entire legal framework of the state.
“To lift ourselves to the time where we are, the outdated laws should be weeded out and new laws that suit us must be framed,” he said.
On Article 371(A), Zeliang said he would request the Speaker to further activate the Article 371(A) committee so that the Nagas are benefitted by the committee’s recommendation. The committee will study whether any act of the Parliament will infringe the Article 371(A) and how applicable it would be for the Naga people.
Naga political issue
“I will actively canvass with the new government at the Centre to expedite the settlement of protracted Naga political problem,” he said adding “we have just taken over and I require sometime to take accord of the past details.”
“We look forward that the long standing NPI will be resolved, but even without going to the details, it will be our endeavour that we focus on the problem alone so that solution will processed,” he said.
The endeavour of this government will be to directly focus on the problem so that the problem is resolved within the span of shortest period, he added while stating that with the new government in the Centre having absolute majority, “we can expect hard decisions to be taken because when the party is not in majority we cannot expect hard decisions and we hope that we will be benefitted with such decisions”.
State’s resources
The new Chief Minister said Nagaland cannot move forward with the available resources of the State. “We are always a beggar with the central government,” he said adding even the Planning Commission is fed up of our begging.
He appealed to the Naga people to mobilise own resources and try to exploit own mineral resources so that Nagas can stand on our own feet. He also cited that states like Jharkhand with their mineral resource development the revenue earn minimum of Rs 6000 crore.
“Nagaland does not have own resources. We always beg but for how long… with the support of village councils, land owners and district administration it is high time that we explore our mineral resources and within a period of time we can stand on our own feet and also have sufficient resources for developmental activities,” he said.
Regular office functioning
Stating that despite Saturday being day off for government offices the 12 new ministers informally came to office today after the swearing in ceremony, he assured the Naga public that “the new cabinet will attend office regularly and function our office only in Secretariat not in the residential office or elsewhere.”
He also opined that such thing would compel even bureaucrats to come to office on time and deliver goods to the people together. “The hindrance in delivering goods to the people is the delay/pending in the processing of files and so I have already requested the Chief Secretary in the first meeting that all the section officers are in place in every department so that anyone’s absence will not delay the files,” he said.
“We expect better governance in the State and even streamline the system wherever necessary and see that people are satisfied with the governance system.” He requested the officers to attend office regularly and dispose the pending files.
Rift in party
It is quite natural that there will be difference of opinion while selecting a new leader, but it does not mean that there is split in the party. “There is split in the party, we are all in board and the party and government is intact,” he said.
Zeliang also revealed that the bunch of Parliamentary Secretaries would be installed somewhere next week.
Deficit
On tackling the huge amount of deficit under DAN government, he said “we are yet to discuss with the finance department”. He, however, said every state has the deficit, but in case of Nagaland, something different is found. According to 13th Finance Commission recommendation, every state should spend only 35 percent of the total budget for payment of salaries to government employees but in Nagaland it is more than 60 percent, he stated
“We are not allowed to expend more than 30% but we have more than 60% and that is how we always land up in huge deficit,” he said while assuring that the newly installed government will try to streamline and start by reducing new appointments.
Asked whether any Central package is expected, he said, “I don’t know whether they will come to our rescue.” He, however, expressed hope that things will improve since we have a favourable government at the Centre.
“In the last 10 years, instead of coming to our rescue, they (Congress government) have always cut our budget,” he lamented.
Asked whether the new government would still continue with the Vote-on-Account presented in the March session by Neiphiu Rio, he replied positively while stating that “we will have full budget session somewhere in July.”
ENPO & scrapping of 371(A)
On the separate statehood demand for ENPO area, which BJP had assured to grant if they come to power, he said “as far this government is concerned, they are with us.” He, however, said if the BJP has assured anything like that “we will have to examine the issue and discuss further.”
On the BJP election manifesto to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution, which would even hamper Article 371(A) of the Naga people, he said “it is not possible to scrap both the Articles. “If they want to remove, the statehood which we have accepted may be reverted to square one,” he said.
Assam-Nagaland border issue
On the long-pending border problem between Assam and Nagaland, which has recently escalated, he said “we will resolve it through peaceful dialogue. We will closely examine and resolve the issue through dialogue not by fighting.”
Meanwhile, Zeliang said “we have high hope that Rio will be given a position in Delhi to help our state and the NE region so that all the dreams which had been focused for so many years like Look East policy by Central government would take shape on the ground. He also thanked Rio for attending the installation of the new government in Nagaland.
