President of India Pratibha Patel Thursday underlined the need for education to be accorded priority in the state as it was the gateway to opportunity as it equips people to deal adeptly with challenges, and also to bring new and innovative ways of handling situations and issues. She said this while addressing a mammoth public gathering at the reception in her honour during a short visit to Naga Heritage Village here before departure for Imphal via Dimapur. Patil also unveiled a monolith at the main arena of the Heritage Village.
The President also stressed on the need to make quality health facilities available to the people saying that \u201ca healthy citizenry is more productive, and healthy individuals can better achieve their full potential.\u201d
She pointed that the quality of people determined the direction and the vision for future growth while also emphasizing on substantial investment in human capital.
She also highlighted the importance of development of physical infrastructure, particularly transport connectivity, which she reminded, was a key pre-requisite for economic development. Pratihba also urged upon the state to harness its own resources and its many potential areas of growth.
She however, reminded that development needed peace and stability so that people could devote their energy to cultural, education, social and economic development. In this regard, she called upon the people of the state to ensure that an atmosphere of peace and tranquility prevailed. \u201cEvery individual wants a life of peace, economic and personal security, and a life of dignity,\u201d she said.
With its rich natural resources and a conducive atmosphere, Nagaland can aspire to become one of the leading states in the Northeast, the president said but reminded that people must work together as one unit so as to create a vibrant Nagaland. \u201cA vibrant Nagaland shall add to the overall progress of the nation,\u201d she said.
She also spoke on the importance of providing food security and the need to focus on enhancing agriculture productivity to ensure sustainable and secure future and asked the state government to do away with the slash and burn method of cultivation practiced in the state. Patil also expounded on better management of forests where diversity of flora and fauna including medicinal plants can generate economic and environmental benefits.
The president was also full of praise for the handicraft and tradition of the state and termed it as \u201cunique\u201d and a \u201cpriceless part of the nation\u2019s heritage\u201d while stressing on the importance of their preservation and continuation. If India is a country that epitomizes the concept of \u2018unity in diversity\u2019, then the North-East is most visible embodiment and among the NE states, Nagaland has the distinction of being a land of diverse tribe, culture, colour and variety, she added. She further mooted the need for regional integration, drawing on regional commonalities and pooling together regional resources, which she said can result maximum benefits.
Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar, in his speech, said that the robust people of Nagaland were distinguished by their selfless hospitality and unflinching attachment to their roots which lay in the villages. \u201cThis loyalty to their roots is the basis of their dynamic community structure and their democratic processes in which every one is a happy and enthusiastic participant including in running public institution.\u201d
At the same time, Nikhil also reminded that the beautiful state has had a trouble past and there was need now to use available assets to convert the state into a haven of peace. He said it was only through peace that all round development could be achieved. In this regard, he also stressed the need to aim for ushering permanent peace in the state and called upon all sections of the society to work together to bring peace in a practical and realistic manner.
Earlier, chief minister Neiphiu Rio in his speech attributed the unresolved six-decade old Naga political issue and the slow progress of the peace process for having created a sense of alienation and frustration amongst large section of the Naga society.
Rio pleaded with Patil to impress upon the government of India make concerted efforts to resolve the Naga political issue with full commitment. Time has now come to make peace and our people are anxiously waiting for a positive outcome of the Naga peace process which is going for a long time, he said.
Rio expressed hope that the president\u2019s visit would herald the fulfillment of hopes and aspirations of the people and mark the beginning of a new era in the shared destiny through trust and mutual respect. The chief minister further assured fullest commitment to an early and peaceful resolution to the Naga political problem.
On the \u201cLook East Policy\u201d of the centre, Rio expressed disappointment over its slow implementation. He said while the rest of the country has opened up to globalized economy, attracting huge investment and economic resources, Kohima is yet to be connected with a decent four-lane road, rail link or airport, he pointed out. The state does not have a single central or regional institute of technical or professional education worth naming, Rio added.
Further, pointing out that the students from the sate had to go out to pursue higher education while no student from other states come to Nagaland to study, Rio said such one-way traffic was not exactly conducive to building a sense of national integration.
The public reception began with invocation prayer by Rev. Dr. Anjo Keikung, general secretary, NBCC while welcome speech was delivered by Toshi Wungtung, general secretary Eastern Nagaland People\u2019s Organization and vote of thanks proposed by Er. Y Chuba advisor, Kohima Municipal Council.
After the formal reception, the state chief minister hosted a high tea for the visiting dignitaries. The president and her entourage later left for Imphal, Manipur via Dimapur on a special chartered aircraft.<\/p>\n