Nagaland today celebrated the 67th Republic Day as Governor P B Acharya gave a call for NSCN(K) and other Naga underground groups to leave the path of violence.
Addressing the Republic day gathering in state capital, the Governor said that peace is a pre-requisite for economic growth and social well-being of the citizens and the framework agreement signed between the Centre and the NSCN(IM) on August 3, 2015 is a momentous development which deserves to be welcomed by all.
"This gives us a great opportunity to put the troubled process (behind) for a permanent solution," he said.
On the occasion, the Governor urged the NSCN(K) and other groups to leave the path of violence and return to the negotiating table.
NSCN(K) had broken the 14-year-old truce with Centre on March 27, 2015 and resorted to attack security personnel, which led to the Centre declaring the group as a banned organisation.
Maintaining that the Nagas have struggled for long, he further said decades of insurgency and associated violence have affected psyche of the people of the state.
"We must not allow the past to overwhelm us anymore...We must remember that just as conditions around us shape us, we also shape the environment around us," he said.
Acharya called upon the people of the state to seize this opportunity and surge ahead with optimism to usher into a peaceful environment.
On the law and order front, the Governor said, "The law and order situation has remained largely peaceful."
Acharya unfurled the national flag and also took salute from the 21 march past contingents from the armed and unarmed sectors as well as school students.
Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang also joined the celebration.
Zeliang's Cabinet ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries graced the occasion in all 11 district and sub-divisional headquarters.
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The Governor also highlighted some of the achievements of the government during the year 2015-16, such as achieving production of 6.8 lakh metric tons of food grain production with productivity level of 2,270 kg per hectare.
He said the Department of Horticulture has secured Geographical Indication (GI) Registry for the Naga Tree Tomato. This is the second crop of the state to be given GI tag after Naga King Chilly.
New minor irrigation schemes will be taken up under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and 5000 hectares of coffee plantation to be developed over five years, he said.
The Governor also said that under Swachh Bharat Mission, 25,000 individual household latrines and 345 sanitary complexes are targeted to be constructed in the villages during 2015-16.
The Public Health Engineering Department would be providing drinking water supply to 92 habitations, he said.
In the power sector, Acharya said that the 1 MW Tehok Mini Hydro-Electric Project in Mon district would be inaugurated on January 29.
The Governor said that the department of School Education is taking up the exercise of rationalization of schools and posting of teachers.
So far, he informed, six districts -- Longleng, Peren, Mokokchung, Kohima, Zunheboto and Kiphire have been completed and the remaining five districts - Dimapur, Wokha, Tuensang, Mon and Phek wopuld be covered by next month.
Acharya said that the Taxation Department is working to simplify tax administration through computerization. The tax collection this year has registered increase of 17 per cennt over the same period previous year, he said.
Acharya said immunization of children to protect them from serious diseases is being implemented under Mission Indradhanush while National De-working Program will be launched on February 10 covering the age group of 1 to 18 years.
"Our battle against HIV/AIDS is continuing while Nagaland is among 7 states in the country where adult new HIV infections have declined remarkably.
Inauguration of the Passport Seva Kendra on January 15 last by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Retired Gen (Dr) V K Singh at Chumukedima is a New Year's gift to the growing tribe of passport seekers of the state, he said.
The day was also marked by various competitions, philanthropic activities by charitable institutions, exhibition by Agri and allied departments, band display and conferring of Governor's Award to individuals and NGOs for meritorious services.
