Correspondent
Rüsoma Orange festival, 2022, began Tuesday at the village ground, Rüsoma around 8 kilometres away from the State capital, Kohima.
Gracing the festival as special guest, special officer to chief minister, Neibalie Rio said the way forward for the youths to gain meaningful employment was through self-skill and entrepreneurship.
He observed that there were endless opportunities in entrepreneurship and that this sector gained more attention after the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rio disclosed that the government was also focused on helping out youths who were willing to venture out into entrepreneurial activities for their livelihood sustenance.
He pointed out that Nagaland received an amount of Rs 326 crores as revenue deficit grant and an additional amount of Rs. 270 crores as State’s share on central taxes. However, the State spends Rs 500 crores as salary for the government employees and another Rs 180 crores as pension which renders the State into deficit.
He said these factors greatly affects the exchequer and therefore the government was coming up with various alternatives in the form of skill development and entrepreneur trainings in order to mitigate with these problems.
He said the people need the government however there should not be too much dependency on it and that the general population should pursue self reliance and independence.
Rio further pointed out that there was around 5450 hectares of orange fields through which Nagaland produces 43,150 metric tonnes of oranges every year and that Rüsoma oranges were one of the most popular.
So far the oranges produced in the State are mostly sold within and in Assam, he said.
In that regard, he urged the orange growers to aim higher and target national and international markets for their oranges.
Later, he congratulated the village for successfully organising the festival.
Earlier the festival inaugural programme was chaired by the festival convenor, Thejao Chase.
Rüsoma CRC, pastor Rev KhrieoMezhü invoked God’s blessings while village council chairman Kehouchükhrie Mezhier delivered the welcome address and VDB secretary Visier Vimera delivered the keynote address.
A special number was presented by CRC youths.
During the festival the best stall award was bagged by Vakhriezo Zhale, largest stall by KhrielhoulieVimera and the biggest orange was awarded to NeilakholieZhale.
Orange growers committee chairman, Kethoselie Zhale, while interacting with media said out of the 600 households in the village, more than 400 households were into orange farming.
He disclosed that there were more than 22,000 orange trees planted in over half of the village area.
He said a total of Rs 41 lakhs were earned through orange business in the last fiscal year and that there were plans of increasing orange plantation this year.