Nagaland: Union minister takes stock of central schemes

Dimapur: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Union minister of state for power and heavy industries Krishan Pal Gurjar visited the newly created Niuland district of Nagaland on Saturday to take stock of whether the Modi government’s public welfare schemes are reaching the public.

During his visit, Gurjar held a review meeting with district officials on various central government schemes being taken up by the central government and also interacted with local community members and NGOs to get a first-hand report on whether these schemes are benefitting them at Niuland DC’s conference hall in the presence of Nagaland PHED minister Jacob Jhimomi and Niuland DC Sara S Jamir and other officials.

Gurjar was the first Union minister to have visited Niuland district after its inauguration in June 2022.

Addressing the meeting, he heaped praise on the Modi government’s various welfare schemes for the public.

The minister said the Modi government wanted all the welfare schemes to reach the last man standing in society. He also spoke about special developmental plans for the Northeast region, including Nagaland, since the BJP came to power in 2014.

Later addressing the media, Gurjar said the Modi government is spending 10% of the central budget for development of the Northeast.

“Everybody must be feeling the pace of development in the Northeast since 2014,” he said.

He said neither any PM paid visit to the Northeast nor any central minister paid any attention to the region before 2014.

“After 2014, PM Modi visited the Northeast several times and focused on development of the region while every 15 days, some Union minister is always on visit to the region,” he added.

Saying that this was his second visit to Nagaland, Gurjar said today’s visit was aimed at knowing how the Modi government’s welfare schemes are being implemented in Niuland district and to interact with the beneficiaries. He expressed happiness at the way the Nagaland government and Niuland district administration are implementing the welfare schemes.

Replying to a query on any plan to resolve the perennial power crisis in the state, Gujar said the under-construction five-megawatt solar power plant at Hovukhu village in Niuland district would greatly benefit the state.

To another question as to why there is no heavy industry in the state, Gujar said to set any industry, there should be availability of raw materials.

“If the state government sends any proposal for setting up any industry and if there is availability of raw materials for it, the central government would consider it,” he added.