NEC team reviews projects in Nagaland

North Eastern Council (NEC) members, who were on a five-day tour to state, have expressed that the council was looking forward to working more for the development of the northeast states. Speaking at the press conference at Hotel Shilloi Lake here Tuesday, NEC secretary Ameising Luikham briefed about the tour to Mokokchung, Wokha, Kohima and Dimapur and said their visits proved to be very optimistic.
Highlighting the Mokokchung (NH-155), NH-202 Junction to Aghunato via Longsa-Suruhoto road project, he said this 88 km road project, which has completed 50km of formation cutting would be completed by 2017 March.
On the ongoing projects funded by NEC at Impur Christian Hospital (ICH), Luikham said hospital would be given OPD and rooms for the patient, adding that upgradation would take another one and half years for completion.
The NEC secretary said the team also visited Mayangnokcha government higher secondary school in Mokokchung, where NEC was funding the construction of a 2000-capacity auditorium, library and fencing.
On the ongoing NEC projects in Kohima, the secretary said Visewa-Kadima-Zuketsa road project would be completed within two months. He said Kohima civil hospital nursing hostel would be constructed, adding that OPD building, diagnostic centre and lab would also be set up.
He also pointed out that that the roofing of Indira Gandhi stadium that was underway would be completed in the next two to three years.
Asserting NEC was ready to provide fund for setting up stadium in the state, Luikham state government should send proposal for better stadium since North East states had only one stadium in Guwahati.
Pointing out that north east states still imported essential commodities from outside like fish, milk, eggs, the NEC secretary appealed to the government of Nagaland to work out and link with the states.
He added that the council would extend support in creation of infrastructure in state.
Stating that one of the master plans of the council has been tourism sector, secretary appealed to the state government to approach tourism department and if there were any gaps then NEC would look into and extend support.
Difficulties faced by NEC: He said North East states like Nagaland lacked financial resources and had to largely depend on the centre for funds in the ratio of 90% grant and 10% loan.
Ameising also pointed out that states lagged behind in funds mainly because they had not received the full amount from the next instalments.
According to him, the NEC was trying to reform the guidelines by circulating them to all the states in order to smoothen up all the difficulties for certain projects that required selection, implementation, monitoring by the state government.
He said Nagaland has been fortunate as it was able to obtain maximum funds during the last financial year due to better input and for which NEC has focused more on road projects.
On the projects in Dimapur, he said works for the India Institute of Hotel Management would be completed. NEC has been partially funding the gap in funding and also providing funds for some infrastructure.
Amesing said the nursing and allied health sciences at CIHSR, was being funded by NEC and that the second instalment had been released. He also said the state government was asked to increase the number of nurses and paramedical students and upgrade BSC courses for which NEC was ready to provide necessary support and skills.
NEC also visited Margaret Shishak School of Music, which was to have a signature building. He said the workmanship quality was “very good” and that the expenditure for the work was more than the amount of Rs.4.98 crore sanctioned by the NEC.