DIMAPUR, Dec 1 - Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has appealed to the Naga political groups to honour the Covenant of Reconciliation and maintain non-violence in letter and spirit for a shared Naga future.
The Covenant of Reconciliation was signed on June 13, 2009 by the then NSCN (I-M) chairman late Isak Chishi Swu, then NSCN (K) chairman late SS Khaplang and president of Federal Government of Nagaland S Singnya to continue to work together in the spirit of love, non-violence, peace and respect to resolve outstanding issues amongst themselves.
Addressing the 58th Statehood Day of Nagaland at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat Plaza in Kohima today, Rio said the State Government had convened a consultative meeting on October 15 with all representatives of all the tribal hohos, civil society organisations, political parties, ex-parliamentarians and various public leaders on the Naga political issue. The meeting adopted a seven-point resolution unanimously and acknowledged the sacrifices and contributions of the �nationalist workers� in the course of the Naga political journey, he stated.
Rio called upon the people to remember their leaders who ensured the creation of Nagaland with a special Constitutional provision as the 16th State of the Union of India.
On preparations for combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Rio said the State Government has taken every step to develop the health infrastructure in the State. He said the State which initially had nil testing capacity, is now conducting 2,600 to 3,000 tests per day. The number of ventilators in the State has increased from 14 to 145. There has also been an increase in the strength of the health care workers, he added.
Rio stated that a new Cath laboratory has been installed in the Christian Institute of Health Services and Research in Dimapur and a new medical college is also being established in Mon.
The Chief Minister said that the Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department initiated the introduction of �mobile skill morung� on November 13 to ensure access to skill development for rural youth and women. Mobile skill morung is a self-contained training workshop on wheels equipped with machinery and equipment that can travel with trainers across the State.
The Task Force for Music and Arts has started a music incubation programme, where young artistes are being trained to fit into the ever growing music industry, he stated.
The Tourism Department has outlined several strategies for revival of the tourism industry in Nagaland in a safe and sustainable manner, thereby promoting it as a �safe destination�. Rio added that the department, along with the State Government, is celebrating the 21st edition of the annual Hornbill Festival 2020 in a virtual manner.
