Kohima, Sep 25 (IANS) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said that the state has immense potential in agriculture, horticulture and other sectors, stressing the need to transform this potential into economic opportunities through enterprise, investment, market development and exports, particularly to generate employment opportunities for the people.
Chief Minister Rio on Thursday launched the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme, Nagaland (CMFPN) and the NEDFi-TEDF Research Project, “Strategic Interventions for Endogenous Development through Export Promotion of Niche Agricultural Products, Advancement in the Creative Economy, and Diversification of Investment in Nagaland”.
Speaking at the programme, the Chief Minister said the two initiatives share a common purpose of identifying Nagaland’s strengths and capacities, understanding emerging opportunities and challenges, and preparing for the future.
He added that Nagaland has immense potential in agriculture and horticulture, tourism, music, arts, culture, sports and several emerging sectors.
Chief Minister Rio emphasised the need to convert this potential into economic opportunities through enterprise, investment, markets and exports, particularly to create employment opportunities for the people.
He welcomed the focus on the creative economy in the research, noting that Nagaland has artists, musicians, designers, sportspersons, entrepreneurs and young innovators with immense talent.
The Chief Minister noted that the creative economy is not only about culture and entertainment, but also about livelihoods, enterprise, tourism, technology and employment.
He said the state’s efforts to create, brand and promote Nagaland, while using its culture and creativity as instruments of economic growth, were important.
Culture can serve as a bridge between Nagaland’s local identity and national and global platforms, he added.
On the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme, CM Rio described it as an investment in human resources and in developing young people who can contribute to Nagaland in the years to come.
Addressing the 18 selected fellows, the Chief Minister encouraged them to make use of the opportunity to gain meaningful exposure and interact with policymakers, administrators, professionals and development experts.
He said the state’s aim was to build a more resilient, innovative and investment-ready Nagaland where resources, people and ideas create opportunities, entrepreneurship and innovation are supported, and private enterprise works alongside public investment.
He also emphasised the need for partnerships with private and educational institutions, civil society, development organisations and partners from across India and the world, while remaining rooted in Nagaland’s identity, values and traditions.
Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman, Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), Abu Metha, said IDAN, in partnership with NEDFi, had undertaken an extensive grassroots study covering all 17 districts, nearly 300 villages and more than 8,000 inputs.
The project brought together grassroots perspectives, data and insights from experts, academics, development practitioners, government officials and other stakeholders.
He said the research identified Nagaland’s strengths in agriculture, horticulture, textiles, human capital and the creative economy, while also highlighting gaps in value addition, market linkages and promotion.
Metha highlighted the study on Nagaland’s creative economy, covering music, art, sports, tourism, textiles, handicrafts, handlooms and events.
–IANS
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