GoI must frame policy for sustenance of UGs: Rio

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio reiterated that his government was totally against all illegal taxes being imposed by various underground groups on various items which have caused harassment on the people, but blamed it on the government of India’s failure to formulate a policy to provide  sustenance for the outfits.

Talking to media persons on the sidelines of the meeting of the Performance Review Committee for north eastern states at Hotel Vivor here Friday, Rio said after signing cease fire agreement, the undergrounds were not provided with any sustenance for their survival and so were compelled to impose various taxes on the people.

He said a central sustenance policy for the undergrounds, who were under cease fire with the government of India, would mitigate the suffering of the people of Nagaland from the unabated illegal taxes imposed upon business.

He appealed to the  Government of India, to come out with a policy to support the underground groups for their survival, as they were under cease-fire agreement with the Centre.

Rio also acknowledged that currently, the common people of the state have spontaneously come out against the economic burden imposed on them  by the unabated taxes and who have asked various underground groups to agree to ‘one tax, one year’ for the factions.

BORDER ISSUE:
On the border conflict with Assam,  Rio said that there were several Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Nagaland- Assam border where  a Neutral Force of CRPF have been deployed to maintain the law and order.  However, Rio regretted that these ‘neutral forces’ have been placed under the control of Assam Government.

He said the arrangement has only facilitated encroachers from Assam side to occupy areas under the DAB.

Rio said such encroachments under the nose of the ‘neutral forces’ has become the main concern for the people of Nagaland living along the border as they faced frequent harassments from the other side.

Rio reiterated that the border problem with Assam needs to be resolved at the earliest so as to avert tension in the border areas and conflict with Assam.

‘Nagaland has no national or regional institutions’
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio lamented that though Nagaland is the second senior-most state in the north east after Assam, it did not have any national or regional institute worth the name.

He said this while speaking as chief guest at the meeting of Performance Review Committee on north east states here in Hotel Vivor Friday.

He also cited pending solution to the Naga political issue as a problem for the state since insurgents were demanding share of the PDS and funds meant of development of villages.

Rio also said people of the state had no capacity to start industries  while investors shied away from coming to Nagaland.

On marketing of produce, Rio said items were spoiled for want of marketing network and stressed on need for support from the Ministry of Rural Development for the region  due to frequent disruption of rail, air and road connectivity.

Parliamentary Secretary RD & REPA, C. L said though the state benefited from flagship programmes; yet it still lagged behind other states. Secretary of MoRD S. Vijay Kumar emphasized on the need of Long Term Policy for the region.