Chizokho Vero
October 12
KOHIMA (MExN): By the year 2020, it is possible to see a developed Nagaland—with population under control, the economy growing at an accelerated pace, infrastructure such as transport, communication and power improved to modern levels and qualitative health care being provided to the people.
“It would indeed be a Nagaland moving into the future full of hope and expectations and reaching the aspired position among the fore-ranking states in the country in terms of prosperity, development and happiness,” says Lalhuma Additional Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner in the Nagaland State Human Development Report.
The report states that Nagaland will need to adopt a concrete population policy to stabilize the population level at around 30 to 35 lakh by 2020. Assuming that this is possible, by 2020, Nagaland will still be hovering around a per capita income of about Rs 35,735 as per the projections of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
A rational Agriculture policy and land use policy for Nagaland aimed towards sustainable development would soon be in place in Nagaland. Through these policies, by 2020, the present permanent forest reserve areas in the state would increase from 12 percent to 30 percent while another 30 percent surface area would have been brought under forest and tree cover through measures such as commercial plantations (10 percent), agro-forestry and cash crops under trees in the form of high value aromatic and medicinal plants (10 percent) and the present bamboo growing areas increased from 5 percent to 10 percent, the report revealed.
Pointing out that Nagaland would become the centre of processing meat requirements in the country, the report goes on to state that by 2020, apart from being self sufficient, the state would also export such products to the adjoining regions and the neighboring countries.
Referring to bamboo stock, the report states that by 2020 through systematic regeneration and its exploitation it is possible that this would generate an annual economy of Rs 1000 crore.
The development of infrastructure in the realm of roads, power and communication accentuated by the envisaged growth of the country’s trade and commerce through the region to south-east Asia, will be a priority.
Further, through the exploitation of its mineral reserves, Nagaland will be producing at least 1 million tons of oil from the present proven reserves of over 600 million tons, the report states.
