Dimapur, July 7 (MExN): The Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce & Industries (MCCI) is pushing the Planning Commission of India to harness Nagaland’s yet-untapped economic potential – particularly in raw bases and natural resources – to make the state a business conduit for Northeastern region states. The MCCI stated its plan of approach in a statement on the Twelfth Plan to the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India during the regional consultations on July 4 in Guwahati, Assam.
According to the MCCI Dimapur city, being the only business hub of the state, all the essential commodities are brought from Dimapur to all northern districts of Nagaland namely Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Wokha, Longleng and Mon. “The connectivity of the road transport is the most important to make the commercial a successes. The connectivity road from National highway No. 39 Dimapur via Doyang hydro project connecting National highway No. 61 is the lifeline for northern Nagaland,” the MCCI states.
The distance between Mokokchung and Dimapur via Mariani in Assam is 226 Km while the road between Dimapur and Mokokchung via Doyang hydro project is only 145 Km. Moreover, this road crosses over the most productive areas of vegetables and fruit production, which can be exported outside the state from Dimapur, the statement said. “Due to lack of road connectivity products are perished causing huge lost of economy every year. Therefore, kindly include this road project in the twelve five year plan,” the MCCI stated to the commission.
“Mokokchung is the commercial gateway to other districts in northern parts of Nagaland. To facilitate the transaction of goods and commodities with the other districts of the northern part of the state (seven-district) infrastructure such as godowns/warehouses with modern technology and facilities are required in Mokokchung,” the MCCI stated.
The MCCI said Nagaland is a hilly state with heavy rainfall and during monsoon landslide and soil erosion in the national highways, state roads, commercial cities and towns cause huge economic losses every year to the people of the state in particular and the country in general. “Therefore, please allocate sufficient fund to manage the damage caused by natural calamities in the form of landslide fund like flood control fund in the mainland,” the business organization stated.
Another aspect of the state’s business the MCCI broached to the commission was Jorhat market in Assam. The Jorhat market in Assam is the base market for entire Nagaland. The MCCI said the existing Defense road maintained by the BRO between Mariani in Assam and Mokokchung in Nagaland be converted into a national highway connecting the NH 155 in Mokokchung under Nagaland and NH 37 in Jorhat under Assam.
“Nagaland being hilly area, the state has high potential to harvest and generate hydro electricity which is vital for industries and commercial activities, therefore, the commission is requested to allocate sufficient fund on power sector,” the MCCI also stated. On health, the MCCI said Nagaland has only one ICU and is in Kohima. The MCC requests the 12th finance commission to provide funds to the rest of the 10 district to have ICUs.
Development of micro and small scale Industries is also one area that is vital to absorbing the increasing number of educated unemployed youths, the MCCI stated. Taking into consideration the availability of raw materials, the expertise and capability of the people, and demand for the products, the MCCI suggested a number of industries to the commission to develop.
These are the Bamboo Industries (Bamboo ply wood, Bamboo roofing, Bamboo agarbati stick, Chop sticks, bamboo fibers, bamboo mat, etc); Starch Industries (Sources of starch for industrial purposes like tapioca, collocasia). “Development of this sector will contribute to the growth of other Industries such as paper, food industries, soaps and cosmetics, etc,” the MCCI explained.
Likewise, the MCCI said huge amounts of plastic are wasted annually. “Setting up of recycling unit of plastic would be lucrative as huge raw materials are available freely. Packaging Industries: Nagaland is yet to have any packaging industry. Packaging materials will have huge demand locally with the growth of other tiny and small Industrial units,” the MCCI stated. MCCI president Lanukaba and Vice president Moasangba Jamir appended the statement.
According to the MCCI Dimapur city, being the only business hub of the state, all the essential commodities are brought from Dimapur to all northern districts of Nagaland namely Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Wokha, Longleng and Mon. “The connectivity of the road transport is the most important to make the commercial a successes. The connectivity road from National highway No. 39 Dimapur via Doyang hydro project connecting National highway No. 61 is the lifeline for northern Nagaland,” the MCCI states.
The distance between Mokokchung and Dimapur via Mariani in Assam is 226 Km while the road between Dimapur and Mokokchung via Doyang hydro project is only 145 Km. Moreover, this road crosses over the most productive areas of vegetables and fruit production, which can be exported outside the state from Dimapur, the statement said. “Due to lack of road connectivity products are perished causing huge lost of economy every year. Therefore, kindly include this road project in the twelve five year plan,” the MCCI stated to the commission.
“Mokokchung is the commercial gateway to other districts in northern parts of Nagaland. To facilitate the transaction of goods and commodities with the other districts of the northern part of the state (seven-district) infrastructure such as godowns/warehouses with modern technology and facilities are required in Mokokchung,” the MCCI stated.
The MCCI said Nagaland is a hilly state with heavy rainfall and during monsoon landslide and soil erosion in the national highways, state roads, commercial cities and towns cause huge economic losses every year to the people of the state in particular and the country in general. “Therefore, please allocate sufficient fund to manage the damage caused by natural calamities in the form of landslide fund like flood control fund in the mainland,” the business organization stated.
Another aspect of the state’s business the MCCI broached to the commission was Jorhat market in Assam. The Jorhat market in Assam is the base market for entire Nagaland. The MCCI said the existing Defense road maintained by the BRO between Mariani in Assam and Mokokchung in Nagaland be converted into a national highway connecting the NH 155 in Mokokchung under Nagaland and NH 37 in Jorhat under Assam.
“Nagaland being hilly area, the state has high potential to harvest and generate hydro electricity which is vital for industries and commercial activities, therefore, the commission is requested to allocate sufficient fund on power sector,” the MCCI also stated. On health, the MCCI said Nagaland has only one ICU and is in Kohima. The MCC requests the 12th finance commission to provide funds to the rest of the 10 district to have ICUs.
Development of micro and small scale Industries is also one area that is vital to absorbing the increasing number of educated unemployed youths, the MCCI stated. Taking into consideration the availability of raw materials, the expertise and capability of the people, and demand for the products, the MCCI suggested a number of industries to the commission to develop.
These are the Bamboo Industries (Bamboo ply wood, Bamboo roofing, Bamboo agarbati stick, Chop sticks, bamboo fibers, bamboo mat, etc); Starch Industries (Sources of starch for industrial purposes like tapioca, collocasia). “Development of this sector will contribute to the growth of other Industries such as paper, food industries, soaps and cosmetics, etc,” the MCCI explained.
Likewise, the MCCI said huge amounts of plastic are wasted annually. “Setting up of recycling unit of plastic would be lucrative as huge raw materials are available freely. Packaging Industries: Nagaland is yet to have any packaging industry. Packaging materials will have huge demand locally with the growth of other tiny and small Industrial units,” the MCCI stated. MCCI president Lanukaba and Vice president Moasangba Jamir appended the statement.
