Rio on High after trip to East

In this image released to the Media, the Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and his team is seen here with Korea Union Minister for Labour Lee Young Hee.

Kohima | September 1 : The Nagaland and Korea relations seem to be fast-blossoming, with various exchange activities and investment programmes being set. The trend seem to have been boosted to the more by Neiphiu Rio’s recent visit to Seoul, South Korea during his three-country tour, from August 17 to the 26th.
Not only the Korean-India Music festival is scheduled to be hosted by Nagaland on December 2 next in Kohima as part of the Hornbill Festival, but the Korean Ministry of Culture has extended an invitation to Nagaland to send a cultural troupe to the south-east Asian country sometime next year.
Moreover, the South Korean government has agreed to take 200 students from Nagaland to work in Korean firms, which is likely to commence by either October or November this year. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said these, in a press conference today. He returned from a tour to China, Japan and Korea recently.
Terming his visit to Korea as “very good and successful”, he also revealed to have discussed the possibilities of a joint venture between Korea and Nagaland in assembling helicopters in Nagaland as ‘helicopter is very much in need for use in India both by government agencies, corporate houses and individuals’.
During his visit , Rio met with several Korean leaders including members of the National Assembly, Deputy Floor Leader of the United Democratic Party and Spokesman of the Uri Party, the Korean Minister of Labour, the Director General of the Cultural Policy Bureau, Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism and the Director of International Cultural Cooperation Division, the president and CEO of Korea Global TV Arirang along with the Vice President in-charge of  Marketing & Management and TV & Radio and CONA International amongst others.
In his meeting with the Korean leaders, Rio sought assistance in the development of Nagaland at various fronts including sports as well as investment in infrastructure development. The CM is said to have urged the Korean government to encourage Korean firms to invest in Nagaland.  
“They were happy when we said that we have a Korean Taekwando coach in Nagaland for which we’ve got gold medals in the national games”, Rio said. He also invited the Koreans to ‘send more such experts in the discipline of archery, badminton and athletics in which the Koreans are experts in’.  
Further, CONA International with which Nagaland has an MoU signed, is soon coming to Nagaland to invest in polytechnic, food processing units and other industrial facilities under Special Economic Zone projects and also for certain construction works.
Rio in his meeting with the Korean Union Minister for Labour, Lee Young Hee, proposed sending students from Nagaland to work in various Korean firms for both skilled and unskilled job and the possibilities of the Korean Government sponsoring students. The Korean concerns are said to have been very receptive to the proposal.
“My visit to Korea was more like a home coming”, Rio gushed and recalled the warm reception accorded to him by Naga students studying in Korea led by Rev.Moon and also representatives of Cona International. The CM was received with the song “God Bless my Nagaland” on his arrival at the Incheon International Airport.
Earlier, the chief minister during his visit to Tokyo was hosted at the International House of Japan for breakfast by the Advisor and Director of International House, Hiroshi Matsumoto, who is also the Director of the Japan-India Association. The breakfast was attended by representatives of the Culture Project and from the Embassy of India. The International House has hosted several world leaders and dignitaries in the past including the former Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Rio had discussions with Matsumoto on the need to foster India-Japan relations and felt the need to increase cultural relations through people-to-people contact. Rio also highlighted the long relationship that Nagaland has with the Japanese people and stressed on the events that dated back to 1944, during the Second World War
He also met with representatives of Japanese religious organizations and NGOs over dinner, who are in the process of mobilizing support for the creation of a Peace Park in Kohima in memory of fallen Japanese soldiers of the Battle of Kohima.
The chief minister also visited Beijing and witnessed the Olympic Games as member of the Organizing Committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi at the famous National Stadium in Beijing, popularly called the Bird’s Nest. He witnessed a number of Olympic events there. He also visited the Olympic Plaza around the National Stadium and the Water Cube where the water events were held.
Rio toured Beijing to observe the various infrastructure and facilities related to sports and games. The chief minister was accompanied Abu Metha, Press Secretary to Chief Minister and R. Tetseo, OSD to Chief Minister (Security) the entire tour.

Nagaland government irked by NU mess

Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 1
Both the Governor and Government of Nagaland are concerned at the ongoing imbroglio in the Nagaland University, chief minister Neiphiu Rio said and reminded that there is always a solution to any problem. Since the inception of Nagaland University, problems have been cropping up and ‘there is something wrong’, Rio said. The chief minister regretted the ongoing impasse that had led the NUTA, NUNTSA and PGSU to take to the streets. ‘Instead of taking to agitations, they should have resolved the matter amicably’ Rio said while reminding that ‘there is always an amicable solution to any problem’.
The chief minister was responding to queries on the stand of the state government over the Nagaland University issue, during a press conference in his residential office here today. Rio, who met with the governor before addressing the press conference also revealed to have had discussions on Nagaland University-related issues with the governor and both ‘share the same concerns’. 
Similarly, the state’s Urban Development and Higher Technical Education Minister Dr. Shurhozelie also shared with the chief minister’s concern and regretted the ongoing development in the university. Unless there is close coordination amongst the teachers, the vice chancellor and other administrative officers of the university, nothing would be developed.
‘It is very unfortunate that the university’s authority or the teachers think that Nagaland being a central university is autonomous and the state government has nothing to do with it.
But for us, we feel that though NU is a central university it is for the Naga people and we always expect that the university will maintain close liaison with the state government as the state government’s support can go a long way in developing it’, Shurhozelie said.
Regretting that the issue was allowed to be blown out of proportion and the university taking to the street, Dr. Shurhozelie reminded that there are agencies which can correct the vice chancellor ‘if he is wrong’.

State govt  to BRO: Hand over the roads

Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 1
Upset with what it said to be poor maintenance and quality workmanship characterizing Nagaland roads under the Border Road Organization in Nagaland, the state government had asked the road construction entity to ‘to hand over the roads to the state government’. But the state PWD’s works, either, hasn’t passed unnoticed from the chief minister’s displeased eyes as well.
“I am very upset”, Rio said and lamented BRO roads to be “the worst” today. The chief minister said to have already written to the BRO authorities. That, if they are unable to maintain the roads, the roads under the BRO be handed over to the state government so that suitable agencies can be identified.
Making his justification, the chief minister pointed to the prevailing condition of various roads under the BRO including National Highway-39 and also the construction of the retaining wall in front of the SKV Petrol Pump, Kohima. “They (BRO) are taking two years to construct a retaining wall”, Rio wondered ‘and that too compromising quality and using poor-quality sands and boulders’. However, Rio was quick to add that he is not blaming only the BRO but ‘also the state PWD department for the compromising quality’. 
When queried on the roads in the state in comparison with that of “China, Japan and Korea” he had recently visited, and also on the comment that Nagaland roads are a little better than ‘riverbeds’ of developing countries, Rio was quick to admit to the deplorable road conditions in the state. He was nonetheless also defensive by pointing to the paucity of funds for Nagaland to take up any road project, and also to geographical problems. Compromising the quality of workmanship by various agencies and contractors has also added to the poor road conditions, Rio said.
Rio revealed that the state government has decided not to award contract works for construction or maintenance of roads, in and around the state capital. Rather, it was revealed, the department in concern shall undertake the works on an experimental basis.

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