Dr Asangba Tzüdir
The Nagaland Vision 2030 document which is to be brought out by the Nagaland State Government with the aim to guide the planning and development process of the State has called forth the attention of the public to share opinions for which social media platforms have been launched. An expert group of secretaries headed by an ex-bureaucrat, a former Chief Secretary, has been set up to work on the Vision 2030 document.
The idea of coming up with a Vision document is indeed noble but considering the limited channel and the time frame in which the Vision document is to be formulated, the onus now lies on the hands of the public to seriously think and engage in charting a way forward in making it an all inclusive peoples’ centric vision document. The collective voice of the people should chart a plan for a future course of action that would best ‘define’ what could possibly lead to a ‘good’ life for the state and the citizens. Most importantly this vision is going to project where we locate Nagaland in another 15 years.
Currently no sector in Nagaland escape the need for urgent attention considering the mess, beginning with the state politics, issues of (mis)governance, set up and planning; the present Naga political issue that has left everyone in a quandary; the despicable economic status of Nagaland failing to go beyond consumption; the state of affairs in the education sector, health sector, agricultural sector, power sector, transport system, infrastructure and connectivity etc. Keeping in mind the current cornucopia of problems and issues, the vision plan should be based on an ‘out of the box’ approach and focus on the realm of possibilities in translating this working vision into reality. Nagaland does not need a ‘grand narrative/s’ that cannot be applied in praxis but one that can be converted into action. The vision plan should focus on a bold approach policy that calls for entire systems revamping in both the government as well as private sectors within an all inclusive framework.
Being a vision plan, it should also prepare and set targeted goals in tune with the Global, National and Local framework of developmental policies for which the entire systems needs to be in place. In a recently held panel discussion organized on account of ‘World Day Against Child Labour’, one of the panelists pointed out, recalling the Nagaland State Government’s invitation for public opinion towards Nagaland Vision 2030, that the aim to end child labour by 2030 should be included in the vision. To address this issue, the policy makers should begin from the root of the problem beginning with definition and identify the vulnerability and risks associated with child labour. One solution to tackle child labour is to get them enrolled in schools beginning with pre-school. This in turn will lead to providing quality education especially for those deprived which in turn will provide security, sustenance and livelihood. Likewise, certain achievable vision targets can be set in all the sectors so that such targets can act as the guiding policy in setting sights and subsequently working on such targets.
The roadmap to Nagaland Vision 2030 has began and every public as a responsible stakeholder should share ones opinion and put it across to the Government. Fully knowing where our Dear Nagaland stands today, it is our duty bound responsibility to project where we want our Nagaland to be located in the next 15 years. The time is now to act with a ‘sense of belongingness’ for the ‘good’ and the ‘well being’ of Nagaland.
(Dr. Asangba Tzüdir is Editor with Heritage Publishing House. He writes a weekly guest editorial for the Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
