Limalenden Longkumer
Mokokchung | December 16
The envisioned future economy of Mokokchung has to be viewed in the perspective of the existing 21st century dynamics, held Alemtemshi Jamir, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Nagaland while delivering his speech as the chief guest at the Silver Jubilee celebration of Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) today at Town Hall, Mokokchung. The event was held under the theme ‘Brighter Mokokchung’ and attended by all the businessmen and entrepreneurs of Mokokchung.
He said that economic development is important because “the world moves on economy today.” Saying that society grows on the basis of economics and wealth, he emphasized that man cannot really move forward without a strong economy, particularly in the 21st century.
Citing the example of capital city Kohima, where, according to him, “the civic and social amenities are almost on the verge of breaking down,” he encouraged the MCCI and the entrepreneurs of Mokokchung to look beyond the parameters of Mokokchung town proper. “My perspective is that carrying capacity of Mokokchung is limited. I don’t think we can carry a population of more than one lakh because the roads cannot be expanded, the water supply cannot be increased and in that perspective, Mokokchung’s economy is actually limited to some extent,” he explained.
“Secondly, we also have to change the way we are looking at our economy,” he continued. “We do not realize it but Mokokchung occupies one of the most central locations as far as I see about the economy of the entire NE India.” He disclosed that the state government planned for a road which will start from a junction between the economies of Sibsagar and Jorhat, that is Jhanji, come up to Amguri along NH 61, proceed to Mokokchung and then towards Tuensang along NH 155. “Just about three weeks ago, we have managed to get the sanction for a road that will go from Longsa to Surohuto to Aghanato which will follow the border road to Kiphire and once you touch Kiphire, that is the Myanmar boundary,” he added.
“So what we are looking at is a communication facility to link Upper Assam through the shortest possible way with Myanmar. If we look and therefore agree that the geography is correct, then in that case, we may have to plan our commerce, trade and industries and our economy based on the perspective.”
“Today,” he said, “we may think that Mokokchung is a dry, small place with very little capability for generating economy but once the trade and commerce starts, I believe that people will be too busy making money then to actually go in the path of violence.”
Commanding a huge applause from the businessmen gathered, the Development Commissioner also announced that he will sanction rupees 5 lakhs for MCCI and Upper Assam Chamber of Commerce to take a trip to Myanmar “to study and examine the kind of economy that exist there and what kind of trade is possible.” That is not only for the benefit of Mokokchung but for the whole of Upper Assam, he added.
On the current business trend in Mokokchung, Alemtemshi felt that the business community of Mokokchung is not really looking at the true economy of the district. “Mokokchung is still primarily an agricultural economy, but unlike other parts of the state, Mokokchung is not investing in bringing up a commercial agricultural economy,” he lamented. “The other aspect is tourism which has great potential. When we speak of tourism, let us not only think of the foreigners; Mokokchung should learn to attract tourists from Jorhat, Guwahati and Kolkata.”
On the economic strength of Mokokchung, he observed that the town can easily become the transit commercial centre. “The last point I would like to make is, the basic strength of Mokokchung is transit. Mokokchung could be seen as a point from where we can serve the hinterlands of Tuensang, Wokha, Zunheboto and Longleng. All the supply requirements of all these places could be met through Mokokchung.” On that, he encouraged the business community of Mokokchung to come forward in a larger way to start the transportation, storage and go-down systems.
He also observed that the “mindset of the people of Mokokchung” needs to change. “I’ve interacted with Entrepreneurs Consortium; apparently the same commodity which is available in Mokokchung is not purchased by the Mokokchung people ourselves. Instead we go down to Jorhat and to Dimapur to buy them. I think the people of Mokokchung also have to grow up to try to know that the economy of Mokokchung is our own.”
He concluded by saying that in the 21st century, there is one mantra, which is called ‘think global, act local’. “We have to understand the whole world that exists around us but our behavior and action have to be local. You could think that ‘Think Global, Buy Local’ as a corollary to the mantra of the 21st century. With so much dynamism, I am confident that the economy of Mokokchung is going to grow, provided we move in the right direction.”
