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Look East policy yet to be properly defined: Minister

Kohima | September 10 : Speaking at the state level consultation programme on Vision 2020 & Look East Policy at Dimori Cove, Kigwema under the aegis of the Confederation of Tribal People in Development (COTPID) on Wednesday, Minister for planning and coordination T.R. Zeliang regretted that the Policy as announced by the Government of India is yet to be properly defined.
In this regard, he said, that the Nagaland government had raised certain issues before the Centre and questioned whether the Look East Policy means looking east from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to the Asian economy, or whether it is a policy for India to look east for the development of the north east and the eastern region of the country and thirdly whether the Look East Policy means that India look east at the Asian economy through the north east
India.
“This is yet to be clarified and therefore, at present, we are going ahead with our understandings which are to open up the economies of the north east India with the neighbouring countries,” he said adding that it is our effort to try and pave the way for the economy of India make connections with the neighbouring countries through the north east.
For this a number of initiatives have been taken. Firstly, it had identified international border trade points in the state. It includes Longvah, Pangsha, Mimi and Avangkhu.
The government of India has given official recognition of Avangkhu and presently trying to connect the point from Pongkhungri by a road under the NEC. Also it was trying to upgrade the health care facilities, especially in the private sector.
The Referral Hospital has been taken up on a PPP mode under the aegis of the CISHR while funding has been arranged for Zion Hospital at Dimapur and the Bethel Hospital at Kohima from the NEC.
The Naga Hospital upgradation with a world class ICU has also been funded. All these are being done so that in the near future, with tertiary medical facilities extending to organ transplants, we can soon export to Myanmar and the neighbouring countries by attracting patients to Nagaland.
The third area of the government’s efforts is for promotion of entrepreneurship and attracting investment in the state. The minister also stated that there is fourth area of infrastructure such as roads, railway and air connectivity adding that these are being pursued.
“From one National Highway, Nagaland has today four- NH 39, NH 61, NH 150 and NH 155- crossing our state. A fifth is on the anvil to connect NH 37 at Sibsagar to NH- 155 at Tuensang going through Mon and Tobu,” the minister said adding the other programmes under SARDP are also being pursued as also the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima that will eventually connect with Myanmar.
“The basic issue that emerges from the above situation is that we cannot expect India in far away New Delhi to implement the ‘Look East Policy’ for us. The Look East Policy has to be fulfilled by us. We can put the infrastructure in place but we will need to develop fast ourselves if trade and commerce with the neighbouring countries is to emerge,” he said.
The Minister also stressed on the need to create conducive atmosphere for development to take place at a fast pace and the need to open our minds and our land for the process of globalisation to affect our state in a more positive and beneficial manner.
“We will need to resolve our long standing political problem at the earliest and bring about peaceful and congenial atmosphere for business to prosper. We also need to reform and restructure our land tenure system from the narrow definitions of a tribal society especially the manner in which we understand the meaning ‘landowner’ which constricts a lot of the development process including the exploitation of our rich mineral resources,” the minister said.
While preserving and building up our rich culture and tradition as a way of life, he said, as we come to terms with the process of globalisation we will also need to change and restructure our tribal systems to suit the new global paradigm.
“We need to indeed change in many ways in order to attain our goals outlined in our Vision 2020 as also reap the rich economic benefits of the “Look East Policy’ through which Nagaland can become a global player in the emerging mega commerce that will connect the economies of India, China and South East Asia,” he stated.
Kohima | September 10 : Speaking at the state level consultation programme on Vision 2020 & Look East Policy at Dimori Cove, Kigwema under the aegis of the Confederation of Tribal People in Development (COTPID) on Wednesday, Minister for planning and coordination T.R. Zeliang regretted that the Policy as announced by the Government of India is yet to be properly defined.
In this regard, he said, that the Nagaland government had raised certain issues before the Centre and questioned whether the Look East Policy means looking east from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to the Asian economy, or whether it is a policy for India to look east for the development of the north east and the eastern region of the country and thirdly whether the Look East Policy means that India look east at the Asian economy through the north east
India.
“This is yet to be clarified and therefore, at present, we are going ahead with our understandings which are to open up the economies of the north east India with the neighbouring countries,” he said adding that it is our effort to try and pave the way for the economy of India make connections with the neighbouring countries through the north east.
For this a number of initiatives have been taken. Firstly, it had identified international border trade points in the state. It includes Longvah, Pangsha, Mimi and Avangkhu.
The government of India has given official recognition of Avangkhu and presently trying to connect the point from Pongkhungri by a road under the NEC. Also it was trying to upgrade the health care facilities, especially in the private sector.
The Referral Hospital has been taken up on a PPP mode under the aegis of the CISHR while funding has been arranged for Zion Hospital at Dimapur and the Bethel Hospital at Kohima from the NEC.
The Naga Hospital upgradation with a world class ICU has also been funded. All these are being done so that in the near future, with tertiary medical facilities extending to organ transplants, we can soon export to Myanmar and the neighbouring countries by attracting patients to Nagaland.
The third area of the government’s efforts is for promotion of entrepreneurship and attracting investment in the state. The minister also stated that there is fourth area of infrastructure such as roads, railway and air connectivity adding that these are being pursued.
“From one National Highway, Nagaland has today four- NH 39, NH 61, NH 150 and NH 155- crossing our state. A fifth is on the anvil to connect NH 37 at Sibsagar to NH- 155 at Tuensang going through Mon and Tobu,” the minister said adding the other programmes under SARDP are also being pursued as also the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima that will eventually connect with Myanmar.
“The basic issue that emerges from the above situation is that we cannot expect India in far away New Delhi to implement the ‘Look East Policy’ for us. The Look East Policy has to be fulfilled by us. We can put the infrastructure in place but we will need to develop fast ourselves if trade and commerce with the neighbouring countries is to emerge,” he said.
The Minister also stressed on the need to create conducive atmosphere for development to take place at a fast pace and the need to open our minds and our land for the process of globalisation to affect our state in a more positive and beneficial manner.
“We will need to resolve our long standing political problem at the earliest and bring about peaceful and congenial atmosphere for business to prosper. We also need to reform and restructure our land tenure system from the narrow definitions of a tribal society especially the manner in which we understand the meaning ‘landowner’ which constricts a lot of the development process including the exploitation of our rich mineral resources,” the minister said.
While preserving and building up our rich culture and tradition as a way of life, he said, as we come to terms with the process of globalisation we will also need to change and restructure our tribal systems to suit the new global paradigm.
“We need to indeed change in many ways in order to attain our goals outlined in our Vision 2020 as also reap the rich economic benefits of the “Look East Policy’ through which Nagaland can become a global player in the emerging mega commerce that will connect the economies of India, China and South East Asia,” he stated.