The Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Kalraj Mishra, who visited Nagaland on February 26 to inaugurate the Regional Conclave of MSME at Chumukedima has announced Rs.10,000 crore to be sanctioned for Nagaland for development of the MSME sector in the state.

This was stated by the Chief Minister, TR Zeliang while delivering a speech at the Nagaland Youth Summit on Saturday at the NBCC Convention Centre, Kohima. He relayed that the Union Minister informed there is no dearth of funds for projects of micro enterprises development and food processing and had specifically asked all the NE states to prepare DPR of the same for submission to the Ministry.

While asserting that this is a huge opportunity for Nagaland owing to the state’s potential in agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry, the Chief Minister pointed out that in order to further the growth and development of this sector including the areas of food processing and marketing, the Naga youth must be prepared to be inducted in the sector so as to make a significant impact on the economy of the state.

The state government will help them in securing bank loans and will also try to provide the beneficiaries’ share in the form of working capital subsidy, besides government schemes, he assured.

Zeliang, who was also the Chief Patron of the two-day summit organized by YouthNet in collaboration with the state government, exhorted the massive gathering of youth at the event to make the best use of their prime years by activating themselves and applying their talents to make good use of opportunities available to them.

Remarking that the government sector is over saturated, he advocated for creation of private investments and promote the Centre’s slogan ‘Make in India’ in a localised form ‘Make in Nagaland’.

This would mean that the people have to open their land to global companies to come and invest and manufacture, he said, and asked if the (Naga) people are prepared to do that.He urged upon the youth to study and learn the concept of initiatives such as the Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ) and constitution of Investment Boards, which failed to take off due to criticism from various quarters despite being passed in the Assembly. “We have to change our mindset and be mentally prepare to move forward,” Zeliang stated.

Meanwhile, acknowledging that the talent and proficiency of the Naga youth are poised to propel the state to progress and prosperity, the Chief Minister pointed out that yet there is a vital gap in human resource or human capital. He said there is sufficient number of professionals and technical diploma holders but no construction workers.

“Even when the Centre or the State sanctions any important project, we, the Nagas cannot implement any project by ourselves, without the assistance of outsiders as construction workers,” Zeliang lamented. He fears that if the situation of influx of construction workers from outside, many of whom are suspected to be illegal immigrants, continues then it would pose a threat of changing the demographic profile of the state in the long run.

He said that out of about Rs.3000-4000 crores of developmental expenditure being spent annually, only a small fraction remains in the state as contractors’ margin of profit, taxes etc and about 90% of the total cost is spent on construction materials and on thousands of construction workers, both of which come from outside the state.

The Chief Minister stated that if the YouthNet and the youth of Nagaland are prepared to pick up a mission to develop a workforce then the state government is ready to announce 2016 as the ‘Year of Construction Workers’. He asked the delegates of the two-day youth summit to deliberate the matter and get back to the government.

He observed that there are a number of young entrepreneurs in Nagaland who are doing well in their own areas, but he feels that there is a lack of proper coordination and synergy among them.

Towards this, Zeliang called upon the YouthNet to explore the possibility of functioning as an umbrella organization to coordinate and help in finding solution. He assured that the department of Youth Resources & Sports will actively associate with the activities as coordinator and facilitator when required.

He further congratulated the YouthNet team on completion of 10 years and lauded their various initiatives towards uplifting the youth. He also hoped that the discussions that take place at the summit will give direction to the youth and the state government to move forward.

Source: Eastern Mirror