Industry members advise CM to review Nagaland’s economic policy

The chief minister of Nagaland has been given some handy inputs about what development in the industrial and commercial sector of Nagaland could do for the state. During a meeting of businesspersons and the chief minister, the politicians was told to review the economic policy of the state which been rotting without a review for more than 10 years.

Members of the Nagaland chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) met the chief minister of Nagaland on September 12 to ‘impress upon him over the economic development in the state of Nagaland and other related issues for the uplift of entrepreneurs in Nagaland.’ The CII issued a press release on Wednesday, September 16, informing about the interaction they had with the chief minister. 

“The CII delegation proposed for organizing ‘north east enterprise summit’ in association with state government. It may be mentioned here that the CII would like to organize a holistic multi-level entrepreneurship program called enterprising north east which would be dedicated to the entrepreneurs of North East Region,” the press release from the organization stated.

“The program will be designed to enable a platform to bring forth the challenges and issues faced by the entrepreneurs like market knowledge gaps, skills gaps, availability of financial avenues etc.”

Another “relevant issue” that the organization said was deliberated during the meeting was in regard to “review of state Industrial policy which was formulated in 2004, basing on the fact that the Industrial policy of Nagaland have never been reviewed for the past more than ten years in spite of certain loopholes.”

Over and above, the issues relating to revival of Paper Mill, power problem and revamping of infrastructure and adequate planning of Super Market of Dimapur was deliberated during the meeting with the chief minister, the group said. 

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Highway criminals: NSCN (IM) “captain” among two arrested

Another case of felons with criminal history running free

People with criminal backgrounds, particularly Naga underground activists with a history of crime, continue to be found. 

In yet such case, police authorities of Kohima have arrested two highway robbers, one of whom has been identified as a self-styled “captain” of the underground group NSCN (IM), the police stated in a press release issued to the media on Tuesday, September 15.

One Vituozolie Solo, a 36 year old man from ‘T’ Khel of Kohima village who the police said to be an active member of NSCN (IM) as self-styled “captain” and presently assigned as “regional guard commander, Angami region,” is one of the two highway robbers, the Kohima police have satted in the press release.

The authorities said to have received information on September 15 at around 12:30 AM about the abduction of two Tata mobile drivers by unknown persons from the Old KMC dumping area along national highway-29 in Kohima.

Personnel of south police station personnel and personnel of the E/10 NAP (IR) rushed to the disclosed location. During search operations, the enforcement personnel located two non-local persons from a construction building and two local youths. While one of the youths was arrested the other escaped under the cover of darkness, the police said.

During preliminary enquiry, the press release said, the police found that the drivers of the vehicles were proceeding to Kohima on September 14 with tomatoes from Guwahati. The vehicles bore the registrations NL-01L-8050 and NL-01L-8510, in that order.

On reaching the Old KMC dumping area, a white Mahindra Bolero overtook their vehicles and instructed the drivers to stop and come out of their vehicles. The two criminals then reportedly enquired as to what was loaded in the vehicle to which they were told that the load was tomatoes.

“But the two persons insisted that the vehicles were loaded with Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and took them to the under-construction building and blindfolded their eyes and disclosed their identity a cadres of NSCN (IM) and told them that they would check their vehicles since they have credible information that their vehicles were loaded with IMFLs,’ the police said.

The two criminals then robbed the drivers of their belongings such as cash, ATM cards, vehicle documents and driving license and a mobile phone. The press release said that the apprehended person was thoroughly examined: he disclosed his identity as one Vituozolie Solo, a 36 year old man from ‘T’ Khel of Kohima village. “…it also came to light that he is an active member of NSCN (IM) as SS captain and presently assigned as regional guard commander, Angami region,” the police said.

The apprehended underground activist also disclosed the name of his accomplice, who managed to evade arrest, as one Rokodozo Rutsa, a chowkidar of Kohima local ground.

Accordingly, the police made undertook another massive search for the absconding accused Rokodozo Rutsa. He was identified by the police as a 24 year old man from 'P' Khel of Kohima. He was arrested on September 15 from Kohima town.

The police have confiscated the Mahindra Bolero, an RC book, keys, a wallet containing Rs. 10, ATM cards and a driving license, a knife and two mobile phones, cash totaling Rs. 820, and vehicle documents.

Old faces, new crimes

According to the police, the follow-up investigation taken up by the investigating agency found that the duo was found involved in another similar case: on the midnight of September 13, a truck bearing the registration NL01L-3285 that was proceeding to Kohima loaded with mineral water belonging to a prominent businessman of PWD Colony in Kohima, was robbed by the two criminals.

They used the same modus operandi, the police said.

The press release stated:

“The cause of action started while the driver and handyman were having rest at Bye-Pass road near Town Committee check gate, Kohima, the driver was initially approached by the two accused in a white colour Bolero and was accused of carrying IMFL.

After this the driver was ordered to drive the vehicle and it was taken towards Naga Bazaar road. The driver was thoroughly searched by the duo and his wallet was taken away. The cabin of the vehicle was also completely searched. They torn off his wallet and his mobile SIM was taken away and looted off the cash amounting to around Rs. 12,000.

While on the way the driver was ordered to stop near Kohima’s hospital at the Naga-Bazaar and was taken to the ATM located in the hospital vicinity and was threatened with the consequences that he will be killed if he does not disclose the PIN number of the card,” the police said.

“At knife point he was threatened and cash amounting to Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 7,500 was drawn out of the ATM,” the press release added. 

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Phek’s education woes: headmasters, edu. officials ‘bunking offices’

It appears that Phek has yet to recover fully from the education crisis that swept the district early this year: now students have complained that the headmaster of the government higher secondary school and officials under the establishment of the sub-divisional education office are shirking from work.

The Phek Town Chakhesang Students’ Union (PTCSU) issued press release on Tuesday, September 15, demanding action against the erring officials. The PTCSU warned that if the authorities do not take disciplinary action against the officials, the union would take its own.

“The Phek Town Chakhesang Students’ Union (PTCSU) while conducting a surprise checking had detected habitual irregularities and negligence of head master in performing his official duties,” the union stated. ‘While interacting with the school’s authorities, the union has learnt that he had attended the school once since February 7 till date i.e., 14th Sept 1015.’

The union expressed anguish at the irregularity of the “head master (GHSS) Phek.” His irregularity and negligence, the students’ organization stated, “Clearly manifests that he don’t spare a thought for students quality education as well as career while at present the students are facing lots of hardships due to shortage of teachers at GHSS.”

Likewise, the PTCSU has alleged that the sub-divisional education officer continues to stay away from stay and neglecting duties.

The organization stated in the press release: “The union too had detected SDEO education office for several irregularities, negligence and out of station in most of the occasion and failing in performing his official duties which creates hardships and inconveniences to the people of Phek town and especially people coming from far flung villages just to seek, avail necessary signature, forwarding and other official works.”

Stating the details as “facts and circumstances,” the students have demanded from the higher authorities disciplinary actions against the “defaulters” as per the Government Service Rules Act.

“The union will never hesitate to pursue its course of action and shall not be held responsible for any untoward incidents, if the concern department fails to redress the grievances of students and public at large,” the PTCSU stated. 

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Smart Cities workshop to be conducted in New Town Kolkata

As a part of the ongoing stakeholder consultations for effective implementation of the Smart City Mission in the country, Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu will be interacting with mayors, municipal chairpersons and commissioners of 20 cities included in the developmental mission from the 13 eastern and north-eastern states, and Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand on September 12.

The government is organizing a workshop in New Town Kolkata, scheduled to be conducted on Saturday. This regional workshop on Smart Cities will also see in attendance the principal secretaries of Urban Development and other senior officials from the selected states.

Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo will also be participating in the discussions of the workshop.

Venkiah Naidu will broadly outline the challenges to be addressed for building smart cities including the need for a forward looking and visionary leadership by both the elected and executive heads of these cities, need for urban governance reforms and an enabling environment for mobilization of resources required for Smart City Mission including through Public-Private-Partnership model.

20 Cities included in the Smart City Mission from these 13 states include : New Town Kolkata, Bidhanpur, Durgapur and Haldia from West Bengal, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Biharshariff from Bihar, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from Odisha, Raipur and Bilaspur from Chattisgarh, Ranchi from Jharkhand, Namchi in Sikkim and the North-Eastern cities of Guwahaty, Pasighat(Arunachal Pradesh), Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Kohima and Agartala.

Each of these cities has been given Rs.2.00 crore each for preparation of city level Smart City Plans in the next three months. All the 100 city level plans will be evaluated based on a set of elaborate criteria in the second stage of City Challenge competition for identifying the top scoring 20 cities for financing during the current financial year.

The 20 cities have been nominated by the respective state governments after the first round of competition, further to evaluation of all urban local bodies in each state as per a set of criteria including the existing service levels, institutional and financial capacities and past track record in implementation of JNNURM projects and reforms undertaken.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Smart City Mission on June 25 this year. The central government has made a provision of Rs.48, 000 crore for five years to support the Smart City Mission through central assistance of Rs.100 crore per city per year.

States and urban local bodies have to make a matching contribution and have to mobilize additional required resources through various sources including PPP model, loans from bilateral and multi-lateral agencies, municipal bonds, among others.

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5 lakh cannabis catch in Kohima

Kohima police have arrested two persons from Manipur on charges of smuggling cannabis. The authorities have estimated the worth of the contraband at around 5 lakh. Kohima police issued a press release on Friday, September 11, informing about the arrest.  

The police said that enforcement personnel at the BSF check gate were conducting ‘checking and frisking’ duties when the happened into the catch. They stopped a vehicle, an Alto, bearing the registration NL-01C-4541, on September 10.  On searching the vehicle the police found 100 kilograms of cannabis. Te contraband was neatly packed in ten packets and were concealed underneath the seat of the vehicle, the authorities said.

“The contraband is worth Rs 5, 00, 000 in the national market,” the authorities stated in the press release.

The two persons the police arrested have been identified as one Savio Pao, the driver of the vehicle. Pao is a 27 year old man from Tunggam village under Tadubi police station in Senapati district of Manipur; a Huzü Khaobvümai, a 28 year old man also from Tunggam village. They have been charged with smuggling the contraband and case has been filed against them under the NDPS Act, the police stated.

Cannabis, also known as marijuana and by numerous other names, is a preparation of the cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or medicine. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol; it is one of 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 84 other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol, cannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabivarin.

Cannabis is often consumed for its mental and physical effects, such as heightened mood, relaxation, and an increase in appetite. Possible side-effects include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, red eyes, and feelings of paranoia or anxiety. Onset of effects is within minutes when smoked and about 30 minutes when eaten. 

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