Athawale invites Rio to Mumbai to acquaint with captains of industry

September 8, 2024 7 Views No Comment

•    Bats for airport in Kohima
•    Funding for new de-addiction centres
•    Assures release of pending funds for DDRC Dimapur
•    Rehab centre for PwDs in Erali Bill

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 8

The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale said that Nagaland needs industrial investment.

Athawale told a press conference in Chümoukedima, on September 7, that he has invited the Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio to Mumbai for making acquaintances with potential investors. According to him, he met Rio on September 6 where he told the latter that he would be happy to arrange meetings with business leaders in the country’s commercial hub.

Athawale was in the state to lay a foundation stone for a “Naga Mandi” at Seithekhema-A village, Chümoukedima on September 6.

He also disclosed that Rio emphasised the need for a second airport in Kohima, while improving infrastructure at the state’s lone Dimapur airport for accommodating more flights. He said that he assured the CM of taking up the matter of the long proposed airport in Kohima, with the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Civil Aviation Minister.

He added that he is working towards addressing welfare issues, related to disability services, senior citizens welfare, drug de-addiction etc. According to him, there are 7 de-addiction centres operating in Nagaland and the Ministry is working to secure funding for 4 more. “We are also supporting five existing centers run by the Nagaland Social Welfare Department,” he informed.

Under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (programme for combating substance abuse), he informed that the Ministry will be establishing de-addiction centres for women in Kohima and Dimapur, and for boys under 18 in Dimapur, Kohima, Mon, Mokokchung, and Kiphire.

He assured to take up with the Ministry for releasing pending funds for the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) in Dimapur. According to him, the said DDRC, which reportedly supports over 1,000 people, has been without funding from the Ministry since 2013.

In addition, he informed that a draft MoU for a Composite Regional Center (CRC) in Erali Bill, Dimapur has been submitted to the Ministry. Stating that it was submitted through the Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, he said that the proposed centre will rehabilitation services to Persons with Disabilities (PwD). He assured early execution of the project.

Citing the recent statement in the Assembly and department officials in the state, he said that there has been no corruption in the Poshan Abhiyan.

According to him, Narendra Modi-led government in the Centre is committed to improving the lives of all Indians. In the past decade, he claimed the Modi government moved India from the 10th to the 5th largest economy in the world lifted, while lifting 25 cr people out of poverty.

He was all praise for the so called “oppositionless government” in Nagaland, stating that it should serve as a model for other states.

Athawale heads the Republican Party of India (A), a member of the NDA coalition. His party holds two seats in the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.