On Republic Day, Gov calls for a progressive & robust Nagaland

Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 27

The 74th Indian Republic Day was celebrated in Nagaland today across all districts. In the state capital Kohima, Nagaland Governor, Prof Jagdish Mukhi called upon the people of Nagaland to reiterate their commitment for peace to “ensure a progressive and robust Nagaland.”

The Governor unfurled the Indian National flag and took the Rashtriya salute and inspected 13 parade contingents during the celebration at Nagaland Civil Secretariat Plaza, Kohima. Prof Mukhi stated the Constitution gave “expression to the goals, ideals and values that guided our freedom struggle.” Paying homage to the sacrifices made leading to the creation of the Indian Republic, the Governor also expressed “gratitude to the members of the armed forces and security personnel whose constant vigil and sacrifices keep our country secure and peaceful.”

Prof Mukhi further mentioned that several Naga villages exhibited strong determination with an indomitable spirit which withstood the mighty British forces from its annexation. Today villages like Khonoma village have their own share of story in the pages of history, he said.

‘Nagaland a contributing partner in nation building’
The Governor meanwhile stressed that Nagaland became the 16th Indian state with a unique special constitutional dispensation that safeguards the identity and interests of the Naga people.

“It laid a solid foundation for developing the future of our people according to our own genius. Nagaland was born under difficult circumstances and the building of a united Naga society, the nurturing of democratic ethos in a poor and challenged situation, and the safeguarding of tribal honor and dignity in a difficult political climate was a challenge for all sections,” he said.

He added that Nagaland has made its indelible mark in the march towards growth and development of the country. Despite constraints and challenges, our state has achieved significant milestones becoming an equal and contributing partner in the nation building process, he said.

However, in order to realize optimum output, the Governor urged the Naga people to further explore and tap into the potentials of the state’s resources, both natural and human, in order to enhance productivity in all sectors.

He further called for efforts to address the needs of the under privileged and the disadvantaged sections. “Our efforts and our commitment, while pursuing the goal of high growth rates, should be to ensure that all people of our state benefit from it,” the Governor said.

 ‘Reduce urban-rural developmental gap’ 
Prof Mukhi said that there is a need to reduce the developmental gap between the urban and rural. For this, he said, it is imperative to take technology and make it relevant to the remotest and most vulnerable groups of people. “This demands creativity, good connectivity and deep rootedness of oneself to the society and being conscious of its problems, limitations and aspirations,” he said.

To promote and make technology as a livelihood enterprise, it is imperative to explore and customize creativity with the application of the available prospective intelligence for future mass marketing avenues, he said. The Governor added that the agriculture sector can also rely more on technological advancement through optimization of tools for better harvest.

Meanwhile, he observed that Nagaland is “second to none” in terms of human resources. “There are many opportunities which are coming our way and there are many success stories which are already being created. It is only a matter of time before we have much bigger successes,” the Governor stated. 

Progress in health & education
On the education front, the Governor stated that from a meagre 22% literacy rate in 1961, Nagaland’s literacy rate stands at 80.11% in 2021 as per the National Statistical office data. He expressed delight that Nagaland’s literacy rate has been above the national average over the last decades. 

“Providing free and compulsory elementary education is a fundamental right under Article 21A of the Constitution of India. As a welfare state, our endeavour is to ensure that no child misses out on education and that every citizen of the state has a chance to better their lives which in turn will contribute greatly to the progress of our nation,” he said.

He further spoke about India’s efforts to meet health challenges including COVID. “We have made significant accretions in hospital beds, medical oxygen, ventilators, essential medicines, and also improved our logistic capabilities,” he said.

“In our journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, while we take pride in the glories of the past, we would do well to introspect on the core values enshrined in our Constitution,” he said.

The Governor exuded confidence that if the Naga people come together “defying all seeming barriers separating us, our State will be on the accelerated path to progress and development.”