State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has rightly “urged citizens to live on their own resources and utilise them to earn revenue for sustenance instead of always depending on New Delhi for financial assistance/grants”. Rio said this February 21 during his tour to one of the most remote places in the border area of Meluri sub-division, Phek. The question is how far we can achieve this goal of a self-sustaining Nagaland. And is it only going to be the citizens who will have to be self dependent. What about our government? The problem actually lies not with the people but with our government system. The financial position of the State will improve if we can follow some dos and avoid the don’ts. Firstly we have to start planning a long term road map to alter the strenuous nature of resource equations. Even if we may claim to be independent or assert our development achievements, the truth is that the State continues to depend overwhelmingly on Central assistance. Then, on top of that, our consumption pattern is such that we are living beyond our means. It is distressing to observe that the chunk of the money we get go away to support our Non-Plan Expenditure, which is always more then the State’s Plan Expenditure. This means that Non-Plan side (including the problematic area of wage and salary payments to government employees) is double the amount of funds allocated for development purpose. Cutting down on the Non-Plan side requires a long term strategy backed by strong political will to reduce spending on populist measures and unnecessary wasteful expenditure. And whatever funds is there for development, that too we are facing problems such as ‘extortion and illegal taxation’ as mentioned by the Chief Minister himself. And as Rio mentioned, while we need to be vigilant and cautious against hostile elements and create a peaceful atmosphere for industrialization to bring about development in the state, we also need to cure the other ailment of corruption within the government system. The financial health of the State is bound to improve if we can have good governance, fiscal discipline and strengthening delivery system.
The other aspect of the current discourse is on the politics of development. It is often the case that the two major political parties in the State—the ruling NPF and Opposition Congress—can sometimes hoodwink the public into believing that everything is possible because of them. Especially in the case of Nagaland wherein most of our development needs and funds are met with assistance from the Central government, no party (NPF or Nagaland Congress) which is ruling in the State can claim as if it is the one contributing or sponsoring the development taking place in Nagaland. A political party in power may take certain policy initiatives. But at the end of the day, the sustenance or money, whether it is to do with payment of salaries or undertaking development works, will have to be sponsored from Delhi. So much for our talk of independence and self-reliance. Then we also have the case of the Nagaland Congress leaders always rushing to Delhi and asking the central leaders there to stop funding. Just because it is the Opposition party in the State, it cannot play politics when it comes to development. The Central government (in this case the Congress led UPA) is there to assist the State governments irrespective of party affiliation, ideology or political differences. That is how the constitution and the democratic process in India work. The present NPF led government has been duly elected and mandated to rule for its tenure of five years after which elections will take place. There people can decide between the NPF, Nagaland Congress or any other party or leaders. In the end, the ruling NPF government must perform and be made accountable for their acts of commission or omission. The Nagaland Congress must also perform its assigned role as the Opposition. Both will have to go to the court of the people. None can escape the verdict of the people.
