Negotiations between Centre and Naga groups have concluded : Guv

Negotiations between the Centreand Naga groups on the Naga political imbroglio have beenconcluded and now there is need to move swiftly for the finalsolution, state Governor R N Ravi told the state Assembly onFriday.

He was addressing the House on the inaugural day ofthe nine-day budget session.

Ravi said a seven-point unanimous resolution wasadopted at the October 15, 2020 consultative meeting whichfelt that there will be a single solution for the Nagapolitical issue.

On December 18 Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Leaderof the opposition T R Zeliang in a joint statement welcomedthe Centre's positive approach for expediting the ongoingpeace talks and had urged all Naga groups to come together inthe spirit of reconciliation, mutual trust and understanding,he said.

The two leaders had also affirmed that they wouldcontinuously work towards a political settlement based on theunique history and identity of the Naga people, the governorsaid.

Ravi, who had in a letter to the chief minister onJune 16, 2020, termed the law and order situation in the stateas precarious, expressed a better opinion of the present lawand order situation.

''The general law and order situation in the state hasremained largely peaceful. There have been some localisedincidents which were contained with swiftness by the districtadministration and police, he said.

He also lauded the state government for taking all themeasures for combating COVID-19 and to the immediate responseto douse forest fires in Dzukou valley.

Referring to the pandemic, Ravi said the lockdown andthe economic disruption that followed brought out the state'svulnerability in food sufficiency.

The lockdown led to massive layoffs and tousands ofNaga people who were employed outside were forced to return.

Creating job oppurtunites fot them was a huge challenge forthe state, he said.

A Strategic Committee for Economic Affairs headed bythe chief minister was constituted and a road map was drawnup to revitalise the state's economy with special focus onupgradation of facilities in health care, education, youthresources and sports, he said.

Re-skilling and gainful employment for the youth wasalso focussed on and Nagaland Job Links Portal was created tohelp connect job seekers and employers in the private sector,the governor said.

Referring to the economic health of the state, thegovernor in his address said that the onset of the COVID-19pandemic and the subsequent lockdown directly affected revenuegeneration and receipt.

The Nagaland government, he said, has taken measuresto reduce expenditure by effecting a 15 per cent pro-rata cutof various expenditure items both under non-development anddevelopment outlays.

Like the Centre, Nagaland has also taken steps likefreezing dearness alowance, he added.