In censure of elected govts, Governor Ravi says Nagaland is ‘the worst performing State’, alleges network of vested interests

August 15, 2020 1215 Views No Comment

Naga Republic News

Continuing his censure over the state of affairs and running of the government, Governor RN Ravi during his Independence Day address expressed regret that the “waves of positive change and growth seem to have been bypassing” Nagaland.

In a clear and tough message to the elected government, the Governor described as unfortunate that Nagaland, though the second oldest State in the North East, had the “dubious distinction of the worst performing State in the Country including the North-East region on almost all the significant indicators of Human Development”.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio introducing his Minister, Advisors and senior State Government Officials to Governor – Designate RN Ravi on his arrival at Raj Bhavan, Kohima on 31st July 2019

“It is endowed with one of the finest of human and natural resources. For quite some decades since its birth it raced ahead of several other States in the region despite odds. Unfortunately today it has the dubious distinction of the worst performing State in the Country including the North-East region on almost all the significant indicators of Human Development”, the Nagaland Governor stated.

“Our human resource, which is our most precious asset, crucial to fulfill the Naga dreams and aspirations is on steady decline”, the Governor went on while pointing out that some 25% of the children in Nagaland are not enrolled in the schools and 60% of its youth have not seen High School.

“Literacy in Nagaland may be technically over 80%, in reality, those who have not even been to High School cannot be called functionally literate. One wonders what positive contribution they can make to their family, their village, their community and the State”.

According to the Governor, despite the highest pupil-teacher ratio in the State as compared to the rest of the Country, the drop-out and failure rates in Government Schools are alarming. “Absence of internet connectivity and Information Communication Technology facility in majority of our schools is holding back our youth in the global race for progress. It has made online teaching, specially in COVID-19 situation, impossible, pushing them further behind”, stated Ravi.

Also the Governor pointed out that investment climate in Nagaland is worrisome. “We need to build investment friendly eco-system so as to encourage investors from outside and within the State to have sufficient confidence to set up enterprises. Unfortunately Government job is the main source of employment and economy is largely based on salaries of Government servants”.

According to the Governor, even the agriculture and horticulture sectors which are the mainstay of the State’s economy are in distress. “We have to encourage and incentivise entrepreneurship”.

The Governor described as ironic that the “relative decline is more obvious during the recent decades”. “When the security forces and the Naga armed groups agreed to suspend operations against each other paving the way for political settlement, the legitimate expectation of the people of Nagaland was dividends of peace – freedom from fear of guns, better health, better education, better infrastructure, better livelihood opportunities, an atmosphere to dream and an eco-system to pursue their dreams”.

The Governor maintained that “incongruously a deeply entrenched network of vested interests has emerged during the period which has misappropriated the dividends of Peace and did not allow them to reach the people”.

Ravi termed it as “unendurable and unacceptable” that “there is mass scale mayhem and miscarriage of dreams and expectations of the people of Nagaland”.

Governor RN Ravi inspecting the parade at Raj Bhavan-Kohima on 1st August-2019

In India’s grand march forward, Nagaland cannot be left behind. The people of Nagaland have their natural right of a dignified future. For this we will have to build and strengthen institutions of accountability, justice and fair play, the Governor added.

“We will have to break the vice – like grip of the vicious circle of the network of vested interests and make way for the virtuous circle of peace, prosperity and happiness for our people”.

According to the Governor, this cannot be achieved by Government alone and in this endeavor, the co-operation of the two million people of Nagaland was needed. “I have deep and abiding faith in the inherent goodness and capability of our people”, the Governor concluded.

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