Merit irrelevant

 Nothing more can be said about the state government’s strange concept of development than the fact that it continues to ignore the merits of setting up projects in Dimapur. This is a total contra-vention of the principles of taking into account availability of various aspects. Projects are essential-ly meant to be self-sustaining after a limited period. Projects are established in certain areas which offer distinct advantages over others. The decision is made after due diligence by various experts in the field so that the project satisfies basic requirement such as location advantage, local market etc. Once set up, the projects are also expected to promote economic activity or provide sustaina-ble employment etc. In short, projects are not meant to be perpetually welfare-oriented even if they provide employment. There is absolutely no debate that Dimapur has huge advantage over other towns in Nagaland. By dint of advantages, most projects in the past were set up in Dimapur mainly due to convenience of location, availability of skilled and semi-skilled workers, connectivity by road, rail and air. Though other local or craft training institutes may be set up in other places hav-ing particular skill available locally; vital projects such as medium industry, food processing and agro-industries can only be viable in Dimapur. Over and above these advantages, Dimapur also merits the establishment of a good medical college. It is a shame that the regional party govern-ment in Nagaland has been overlooking Dimapur for whatever reasons with respect of establishing a medical college; facilitating the development of Dimapur airport and ensuring that train passen-gers of Dimapur are facilitated with adequate reservations by placing at least ten out of the 42 long distance trains from Tinsukia or Dibrugarh. On the issue of medical college, the state government has already gone ahead with setting up two medical colleges (after the amendment in 2014) where a hospital with 200-bed may be turned into a medical college to provide studies for 100 students. The first medical college was inaugurated at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima(NHAK) having 200-bedded capacity. The administrative, academic, hostel complex for students and residential com-plex for faculty and staff at Phriebagei while the teaching and hospital campus will be at some dis-tance at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima (NHAK).The medical college at Kohima will have two campuses-the administrative, academic, hostel complex for students and residential complex of faculty and staff for the medical college will be at Phriebagie, while the teaching hospital campus at the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NKAH). The second medical college will come up in Mon where the district hospital will have the immense task of increasing its beds by 150 to attain the requirement. Dimapur has around a total of over 300 beds(with addition of 200 ACBH) at the CIHSR and 100 at District Hospital. The other beds are from 51 at Faith Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences, 10 at Nikos Hospital, 25 at Eden Medical Centre, six at Zion Hospital. The huge advantage of having a medical college in Dimapur is well known. The proposed 500-bedded referral hospital was constructed in the late 80s with the goal of becoming a medical college. Today the CIHSR runs the hospital in the 100-plus acre plot under a tripartite agreement with the state, CMC Vellore and EHA. It is hoped the long cherished dreams of the state in having a truly viable medical college will be realised at Dimapur.