Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Rio releases Nagaland �Vision 2025� document

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, July 13 � Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday released the �Vision 2025: Food for All� and challenged the youth and the educated unemployed to come forward to fill the gap that still exists in the agriculture scene in the State.

Rio pointed out that despite 71 per cent of the State�s population being engaged in farming, the contribution of agri and allied sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State stands at a measly 20 per cent. �There is a missing link of 50 per cent and something is quite wrong,� he said, while addressing the distribution ceremony of machineries for post harvest management under Agronag-cum-release of Vision 2025 document for agri and allied sector here today.

The CM stressed on �modernising and mechanising farming� to bridge the deficit. �But most importantly we have to fill up this gap between the farmer and the market with our so-called educated unemployed youths,� he said.

Rio informed that there are presently 65,000 registered unemployed youth in Nagaland waiting for white-collared jobs, but said government job availability will be only 1,000 in a year. He added that government jobs in the State have reached a point of saturation. �We have the highest government employment rate (population wise) in the country and our annual administrative cost is 65 per cent which leaves only 35 per cent of the budget for developmental activities,� he rued.

Urging the youth to seek greener pastures in the agri sector, Rio said the government would facilitate and provide all logistic support. But he stressed that the youth have to stop fooling themselves dreaming of easy life and money. �Thou shall live by the sweat of thy brow,� he quoted from the Bible adding, �If you think you can live in style without thinking you are only fooling yourself.�

The CM also felt that graduates in agriculture science should lead the way and modernise farming. �How can our economy be stable when 71 per cent of the population contributes only 20 per cent to the State GDP,� he wondered. Rio, however, noted that there is room to create wonders in the farming sector. �I throw a challenge to the youth to come and fill the gap between the farmers and the market. There is a huge gap, be it transportation, storage, packaging, value addition or grading,� Rio said.

He further remarked that the Vision 2025 document, which he released, could be achieved only �if we all start working.�

Minister for Agriculture Dr Chumben Murry also said �progress in the agri sector so far is not good enough�. He added , �There is still a vast potential yet to be exploited. Moreover, schemes and plans from the Centre are not best suited to our rough terrains,�.

Murry said that Nagaland could still increase its annual agri products by 7-8 folds. He also spoke on the �urgent need to address the issue of jhum cultivation in the State.�

�We have to reduce jhum cultivation and slowly replace it by a more settled and scientific from of cultivation,� Murry said, adding that agriculture would continue to be the mainstay of the State economy.

Next Story