DIMAPUR, June 27 � The Congress in Nagaland has warned the Nagaland Government against taking up any measure to weaken Article 371(A) of the Constitution in the name of development.
Deliberating on various contentious issues of public importance especially on the DAN Government�s proposed Nagaland State Development Zones (NSDZs) along the foothills of the State, the Congress members in a meeting unanimously resolved that the proposed NSDZs should be strictly implemented in accordance with the provisions under Article 371(A) of the Constitution bestowed on the State. The Congress also asked the government to establish NSDZs without contravening the relevant legislations already passed by the State Assembly.
The resolution to this effect was taken at a joint meeting of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee at Congress Bhavan in Kohima. The meeting noted that the hard earned constitutional safeguards under Article 371(A) remains the basic foundation of the people of Nagaland. The meeting was attended by all the CLP members, PCC office bearers and members, frontal chiefs and DCC presidents, according to a release issued by the Media Cell of NPCC.
The Nagaland Assembly passed a resolution on March 24 to set up the NSDZs.
Meanwhile, in pursuance of the State Assembly resolution for setting up of Nagaland Special Development Zone, the Nagaland Government has constituted a Ministerial committee headed by Chief Minister TR Zeliang. The Committee has been empowered to review the existing State laws, orders or instructions with a view to amending them to make the NSDZ project viable and effective, stated an official notification made public here today.
It would also review and reorient the Nagaland State Industrial Policy with a view to liberalising entry of, and investment from, non-Nagas and other investors in the NSDZs. It would also bring about a Master Plan for NSDZs, the government said while also empowering the Committee to issue instructions to all departments to reorient their Annual Plans in consonance with the Master Plan for NSDZs.
