NDPP lauds budget; slams NPF over stand on Art.371A
NDPP has lauded chief minister Neiphiu Rio for presenting the budget for the year 2019-20 on February 26 , which it described as “people-centric and youth-oriented with a vision for all-round development of the State through transparency, accountability and good governance.”
On the other hand, the NDPP has also expressed appreciation of the participation and contribution of all PDA constituents during the recently concluded third session of the 13th Nagaland legislative Assembly besides acknowledging the “excellent address” of state Governor P.B.Acharya on the opening day. Further NDPP in a communiqué issued through its Media & Communication Committee expressed appreciation of the opposition NPF for active participation in the recently concluded budget session and hoped this would continue in future sittings of the house.
NDPP also appreciated the apology tendered by the Leader of Opposition T.R.Zeliang, in response to the demand of the NDPP women wing over his “sexist” remark made during the session. NDPP reminded that a leader of the people ought to be careful about jesting on any sensitive issue both within and outside the house.
NDPP however expressed regrets on the three walk outs by the opposition bench during the recently concluded session. It said that though they may be a democratic means, yet it deprived the people from learning more about the activities of the government.
NDDP said it was still inopportune that the opposition MLAs staged two walkouts on February 23 and 25 during question hour when they even refused to listen to answers to the questions raised by them. The NDPP said when NPF members were not willing to listen to replies of the government on questions raised , it was amusing that instead, the opposition chose to air their allegations to the media as published on March 2 and 4.
The ruling party said the walk-outs exposed the double standards of NPF. It pointed out that on February 22 and 26 the opposition did not object when a particular minister gave replies to starred and supplementary questions pertaining to another department.
Then when another minister stood up to reply to starred and supplementary questions pertaining to another department which was also duly authorised by the Leader of the House , NPF objected and questioned the validity of the authorisation and staged walkouts despite deputy speaker and speaker in-charge giving detailed explanation under “Rules of procedure of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly” . NDPP also pointed out that even the advocate general had justified the matter in the House on the afternoon of February 23, citing Article 164, clause (2) of the constitution.
NDPP asked if these instances did not reveal the double standards of the opposition, then what would? It also condemned the attitude and behaviour of the opposition MLAs who reportedly abused and used derogatory terms against the chair , thus insulting the speaker in-charge, when they walked out. It also pointed out that all decisions of the speaker/speaker in-charge were final and binding on all members of the House.
The ruling party slammed the opposition NPF for trying to give a lecture about good governance and conveniently forgetting their version of good governance when their party was in power.
While trying to ridicule NDPP’s slogan “Change is coming”, NDPP said the opposition legislators forgot their own implementation of the slogan “peace for development and development for peace” during the NPF-led DAN – III regime. It pointed out that the NPF-led DAN – III government was also probably the first government ever to amalgamate departments in their pursuit of development by constructing fisheries along with paddy fields on highways and roads.
It took a jibe at NPF by saying that its DAN-III government made decisions to implement its slogan of ‘peace for development and development for peace’ in the resorts of Kaziranga in Assam.”
It also slammed NPF for opposing the resolution of tribal hohos by not supporting the Assembly resolution on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) moved by the PDA government. NDPP alleged that the NPF’ s continued opposition to Article 371(A) only exposed its real intentions for the people of Nagaland as the resolution was in accordance with the resolution passed at the consultative meet held at Chummukedima on January 31.
The consultative meeting was attended by all tribal hohos, civil society organisations, prominent personalities of the State and political parties, except NPF and Congress, where it was resolved that “Nagaland is a political state formed out of the 16 point Agreement and accordingly Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India protects and safeguards the rights and privileges of the citizens of Nagaland …” .
NDPP said it failed to understand what harm was caused in stating that Article 371(A) provided protection and instead, whether it did not further strengthen “our resolve” in protecting the rights and privileges of “our people”?.
It said that posterity and future Naga generations will remember for all time to come, how NPF had let them down by undermining the “hard-earned privileges” of the Naga people.
NDPP reiterated its resolve to never compromise on its stand to fight for the rights and privileges of Nagas under provisions of Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India.
It rejected NPF’s stand that Mizoram did not oppose CAB on the ground of having Article 371(G). NDPP said there was a difference between Article 371A (for Nagaland) where the word “resources” were omitted from Section (a) Clause IV.
It cited Article 371(G) wherein it states: “Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to any Central Act in force in the Union territory of Mizoram immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (Fifty-third Amendment) Act, 1986” has been inserted in Article 371(G) that made it different from Article 371(A).
NDPP also appreciated BJP, JD(U) and Independent legislators for collectively making up PDA and having wholeheartedly supported the Assembly resolution in rejecting CAB and reiterated that Article 371(A) protected Nagaland from the Bill. This again proved that the PDA government stood united and strong, rejecting the continued allegations of the opposition that there were cracks in the ruling alliance, it added.
The ruling party appealed to all citizens of Nagaland to remain steadfast and strong as the ruling coalition was firm in its stand that the provisions of Article 371(A) encompassed everything regarding “protection of our rights and privileges”.
NPF accuses PDA of not providing answers in NLA
NPF has once again charged the ruling PDA coalition led by Neiphiu Rio of failing to provide convincing answers during the just-concluded session of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA). The opposition party also released a list of questions put by leader of opposition (LoO) TR Zeliang.
NPF alleged that Rio, who also holds the finance portfolio, failed to provide any answer to the queries by Zeliang related to Budget 2019-20 that was presented on February 25.
During the debate, the LoO had pointed out anomalies in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) wherein the collection rate in the State was shown has having gone down. In 2017-18, it was 25%, which decreased to 11.4% in 2018-19 and estimated to be 9.72% in 2019-20. Therefore, Zeliang had questioned the chief minister as to how the GST collection had gone down.
As Rio failed to come up with any answer on the floor of the House, he was asked by the LoO to publish his answer in the local dailies. However, the opposition party noted that nothing had been clarified in the local dailies till date. It claimed that before introduction of GST, the DAN government had introduced online system on Central Sales Tax (CST) and the growth rate was 19.60% in 2017-18.
Further, additional fund released from April 1, 2018 till date, as stated by Rio, was Rs 735.84 crore that included re-imbursement amount of Rs 220.09 crore. To this, Zeliang sought to know how the remaining amount of Rs 514.75 crore, after deducting the reimbursed amount of Rs 220.09 crore, was spent and through which department. However, despite his request to publish the same in the local dailies due to paucity of time during the debate, the opposition party said till date Rio had failed to clarify.
Zeliang had also asked why the department failed to specify the break-up amount or the scheme under which re-imbursement had taken place, but it remained unanswered as well.
Regarding Kiphire Aspirational District, the LoO had asked the chief minister to clarify why release of Rs 1 crore for taking up projects to meet the developmental gaps in the district was delayed. He also sought to know how much expenditure was incurred for the cabinet meeting held at Kiphire district headquarters on November 9, 2018. However, neither was the question answered in NLA, nor had it been clarified in the local dailies till today, the opposition party said.
NPF regretted that despite the cabinet meeting held at Kiphire district headquarters, nothing had taken place on the ground tile date. Even, the District Planning & Development Board (DP&DB) of Kiphire, during its monthly meeting held on February 19, had clearly stated that no fund had been given to the district.
According to the opposition party, Rio had in his budget speech stated that developmental activities of the State were hindered since a huge amount of fund was used towards payment of salaries to government employees and that size of government staff should be trimmed. To this, Zeliang sought to know how the government intended to cut down the number of employees. However, no answer was provided by Rio.
NPF alleged that ex-gratia for students announced last year had failed to see light of the day till date, adding that there was nothing about ex-gratia mentioned in the Budget 2019-20. Hence, Zeliang sought to know under what head of account such expenditure would be listed. But, its answer had not been received till date.
Though both governor PB Acharya and the chief minister claimed timely release of student scholarship, the amount was received by the State government only in December 2018. The student community was yet to receive the final instalment of the backlog for 2017-2018, while payment for the year 2018-2019 was still pending. But Rio, intentionally or otherwise, failed to clarify on this.
Further, as per Budget 2019-20, Rs 53.75 crore was released by Government of India under SPA during the early part of 2018. Another instalment of Rs 226.81 crore was released in January 2019 against the backlog of SPA. The Budget, however, failed to provide details on how it was utilised, the opposition party alleged.
Therefore, Zeliang had asked the chief minister to clarify how the two releases were utilised, for which projects and where. However, no answers were provided by the chief minister, it has been alleged.
Under the circumstances, NPF strongly condemned the silence and utter failure of Rio to provide any answer to the queries of the LoO raised on the floor of the House. It also again asked Rio to give clarification to the queries listed above in the local dailies as the government was answerable on any issue of public importance.