Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 5
IT is a cliché but one of the unquestionably successful cliché if observed: peace is a pre-requisite for progress and development. The ongoing ceasefire between the Government of India and respective two factions of the NSCN has undoubtedly created whatever little space that is required for governmental entities to initiate progressive enterprises for the people of Nagaland. Relatively, while frequent factional clashes have projected an uncomfortable image of Nagaland, economic growth seems to be the present mantra nonetheless. Apart from agriculture and allied sectors, public health engineering, community-based programmes, entrepreneurial incentives, sports, and other infrastructural schemes, business sector in particular in Nagaland is witnessing an upward trend.
One of the most conspicuous instances of (a greater potential) business growth in peacetime Nagaland is the now-increasing interest of investors from various corporate entities both from the Northeast as well as mainland states. As reported in The Morung Express Multi-National business giants like Dabur, ITC and corporate entities like the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) are showing keen interest to do business in the state. A palpable indication of trade potential that peacetime can extract is the Investors Meet to be held as part of the Northeast Agri-Expo 2006 scheduled March 27 to the 31st at Dimapur. This meet is expected to explore groundbreaking prospects for investors to make substantial investments in Nagaland’s Agriculture sector, thereby launching local economy onto the national business level.
According to Nagaland Industries & Commerce Minister Khekiho Zhimomi more than 30 corporations/investors both from across the country have conveyed to the government their interest to invest substantially in Nagaland albeit ‘after thorough explorations’. He said that the investors were currently exploring the feasibility of investing in the State and hopefully, this would take the state’s industrial standing to a higher level. He attributed the interest to the environment of peace that the ceasefire had impacted and improvement in law and order. “Unless there is peace, confidence, hope and potential in the state, no company will show interest in exploring. The Government has created a congenial atmosphere as well as improved the law and order situation and (for this reason) investors are taking interest in the state” Zhimomi says while hoping that “if things go alright, investors would invest” and create chance for further expansion and improvement in the local economy.
Recalling multi-national fruit-processing giant, Dabur Limited’s interest in pineapple processing in Nagaland, he said that the government was acting as able facilitator to achieve maximum business returns in an environment of peace.
Meanwhile, about Rs 4 crore has been garnered from the Central Government for use towards the upcoming Agri-expo. A separate Rs 2 crores was received from the Union Agriculture Ministry while Rs 50 Lakhs were granted by the Nagaland Government. In a related matter the Planning Commission, Government of India approving Rs 600 crore for reviving of the long-defunct Tuli Paper Mill as reported in this paper recently, can also be considered as a testimony to the fact that peace brings along with it its own share of dividends. Peace definitely sells but for how long?
