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06/02/2012: "NSCN-K blames Khole-Kitovi for Zunheboto firing TNN Times of India"

NSCN-K blames Khole-Kitovi for Zunheboto firing TNN Times of India

DIMAPUR: NSCN (Khaplang) has blamed its rival faction Khole-Kitovi for the May 29 Zunheboto firing, in which a civilian was killed while two others, including a cadre from the Khole-Kitovi group, were injured.
A statement by NSCN (K) stated that the NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) general secretary Kitovi Zhimomi should be held responsible for the death of the civilian as it was through his movements in Zunheboto district with police escorts that arms and ammunitions to crush the NSCN (K) were being transported.
The statement alleged that NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) cadres were working hand-in-glove with Assam Rifles, but the NSCN (K) cadres have been asked to lay down arms or face eviction from its regional bases at Pfutsero, Meluri and other regions in Nagaland.
The NSCN (K) questioned the actions of the chairman of the Ceasefire Supervisory Board, Major General (retd) N George and union joint secretary (home) Shambu Singh on allowing free movement of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) cadres in populated areas.
The statement asked them to apply the same yardstick as far as implementation of ceasefire ground rules are concerned and warned that the situation might go out of control.
Jessami living under perpetual tension Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 31 2012: With armed intruders from across the Nagaland side of the border constantly attacking them, Jessami villagers are living in perpetual state of tension.

Within the current year itself, there were at least three occasions in which armed villagers from across the border intruded into Jassami and attacked the villagers.

Although the Government of Manipur has time and again assured protection to the villagers of Jessami, the government has not yet come up with any specific action plans to ensure lasting peace in Jessami.

The aggrieved villagers of Jessami have alleged that the present situation of uncertainty in their day-to-day living is all due to the weaknesses of Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Ukhrul district.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, a Jessami villager said that the armed intruders from the side of Nagaland have been acting smart against the villagers of Jessami knowing very well that the weaknesses of the state as well as the district administration.

The villagers from across the border do not have any respect for the state of Manipur.

So, the state Government should understand this and act accordingly.

It is a matter of serious concern that BSF personnel deployed near the Akash bridge sat watching when armed villagers from Nagaland came marching towards Jessami village, the villager alleged.

The villager further lamented over the alleged indifferent attitude of the State police force when armed villagers from Nagaland cross inside Manipur border upto a distance of 12 kms claiming that the land belong to them.

The Ukhrul district police also remained silent when Jessami villagers were beaten black and blue by the armed villagers of Nagaland.

There have been several rounds of talk between the two sides over border land dispute.

The villagers of Jessami showed the boundary records of Manipur to claim that the present boundary is the correct one.

However, the Nagaland villagers have not been able to produce any records in this regard.

As a result, the both sides agreed to hoist flags along the agreed boundary line.

During the course of talks, the land records provided by the DC of Naga Hills in 1924 were brought out and the stone erected by the Additional Commissioner in 1947 was also identified.

However, even after all these evidences have shown that the true boundary of Manipur, the villagers of Nagaland simply refused to accept the truth, another villager said.

The villager further revealed that during these meetings which were also attended by five members of Village authorities and members of Tangkhul Long Pechuri, it was agreed to put up white flags along both sides of the boundary.

However, defying all agreements, the Nagaland villagers planted red flags and stones crossing inside Manipur border.

On account of this, there is always tension in Jessami and the villagers have expressed desire to leave behind their home and hearth if the state government is not going to safeguard their lives and properties.
GoI policies towards NE need to change: Rio Nagalim Times

"Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today expressed happiness over Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s announcement of a special package for development of Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar during his recent visit to the country"

KOHIMA, MAY 31: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today expressed happiness over Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s announcement of a special package for development of Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar during his recent visit to the country. He, however, maintained that road infrastructure development is equally important on the Indian side of the border to facilitate full realisation of the economic potential of the region.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day 197th Mid-Term Council Meeting of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) at the NBCC Convention Hall here today, Rio said the Myanmar regional authority on the other side of the border had proposed to develop four border trading points along Nagaland, and accordingly the State government had submitted the proposal to the Centre. But he said no initiative had been taken so far by New Delhi.

Stressing on the need to develop the historic Stilwell Road and improve the existing National Highway to Kohima, the CM said if India’s Look East Policy is to see the light of the day, infrastructure development in border areas on both sides of Myanmar is a must. He also informed that Nagaland has submitted proposals for development of the areas of Nagaland bordering Myanmar to the Central Government but the decision is awaited.
Dwelling further on the Look East Policy declared by the Government of India to achieve greater economic integration with East Asian economies, Rio informed the gathering that Nagaland has also taken up the trade centre projects at Longwa, Pangsha and Avangkhu on the Myanmar border. He said construction and opening of major roads, including the Stilwell Road, would be a challenge for the Indian Road Congress to address during the meet.

Rio further stated that, while North East is seen as an important link and component of the Look East Policy, grandiose plans of ‘looking east’ are unlikely to succeed if the appropriate investments are not put in place in the region. The approach and policies of the GoI needs a drastic change if the people of this region too are to benefit from the changing dynamics of India’s economic growth, he asserted.

Highlighting some of the special problems faced by the Region, the Chief Minister said infrastructure deficit has been a continued concern and constraint for faster growth. He admitted that the road sector has received special focus through various policy initiatives of the centre such as National Highway Development Projects, the Special Accelerated Roads Development Project in the North East and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and also that the quality as well as coverage of roads network has improved in recent years. He, however, observed that there are still big regional variations in road infrastructure and regretted that higher priority is given to more commercially viable projects while equally important requirements of small states like Nagaland often get ignored.

On Nagaland, Rio said as a hilly and land-locked state it does not have many options for connectivity and road infrastructure is the sole means of transport. While expressing happiness that from a mere 895 km of roads at the time of inauguration of statehood in 1963 Nagaland today has a total length of more than 11,000 km of roads, he nevertheless pointed out that the percentage of surfaced roads is still the lowest amongst the North East States.

Dwelling on the challenges faced in this sector, he said with limited resources the State is largely dependent on the Central government, but with inadequate funding for maintenance, tackling the problems of faster wear and tear caused by difficult terrain and heavy rainfall is not possible. Despite the higher costs involved in the State, we are expected to work within the specifications and financial norms applicable to mainland India, he rued, while stressing that state specific norms and financing mechanisms need to be worked out to maintain roads for a longer period.

Rio also underlined the need to find technical solutions to deal with heavy rainfall during the monsoons and the typical alluvial soil structure of the Naga Hills which he said makes it very vulnerable to landslides and subsidence. He also impressed upon the need to address emerging challenges in the form of designing and building roads with smaller carbon footprints and also reminded that North East is located in Himalayan Seismic Zone 5.

The Chief Minister further briefed the gathering on the need for smaller states like Nagaland to build their own capacity in construction industry, not only for building quality roads in the State and maintaining them but also to take on larger construction projects beyond.

“A collaborative or joint venture arrangement needs to be created whereby large construction companies from outside the state and smaller contractors from the state are able to work together and complement each other to ensure better performance on timely delivery of works and quality construction,” he suggested.

Rio categorically stated that the Government of India ought to understand the need to make greater investments in the road sector in the North East not only for faster economic growth in the region but also to meet strategic defence needs.

Meanwhile, Rio who has also been emphasising on quality control, regretted that in spite of great advances in technology, quality control has not been given due importance in our country. As a result, he said the whole country is suffering inferior or sub-standard works and products. He cited the example of Nagaland where roads are constructed without proper supervision and guidance and also without taking into account the peculiar nature of the soil and topography, etc. Hence, very often we end up in creating liabilities instead of creating real assets, he said.

He pointed out that the problems and challenges of the region are unique which needs to be approached differently taking into account local realities. In this regard, he said a uniform standard approach and guidelines in execution and implementation of many programmes may not be feasible in this part of the country. He expressed optimism that the discussions and deliberations during the session would bring positive changes especially in the infrastructural scenario of the NE Region, with necessary research, identification and development of appropriate technologies for the region, including capacity building mechanism for ensuring better quality and longer lasting roads construction.

Rio also appraised the gathering about the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, wherein he declared that the stretch of National Highway between Dimapur and Kohima would be made into a four-lane highway. He, however, regretted that till today not a single rock has moved in that direction. He hoped that the Indian Road Congress Meet would take the country forward and help in enhancing India's progress and standing in the comity of nations.

In his presidential address, IRC President PN Jain said road development has received attention of policy makers and is now on the fast track. Much more money is available from public as well as private sector for highway infrastructure development, he said, adding that the pace of development will remain fast for a foreseeable future.
He also highlighted several issues concerning the highway sector in India which were to be discussed and addressed during the two-day session, like Road Development Plan 2021, emerging technologies, innovative materials and Road Development; Road Safety and Environment and Capacity building.

Commissioner & Secretary Temjen Toy, in his welcome address, termed the event as a historic occasion and extended warm welcome to the delegates on behalf of the Government of Nagaland. Referring to the frequent landslides in the NE region not only due to its hilly terrain but because of the nature of being on one of the youngest mountain folds, Toy expressed optimism that IRC would look into such peculiar problems taking into account the unique local patterns and help address the practical issues faced by the region.

Messages from VVIPs across the Country, including the Vice President, Prime Minister, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Governor, Chief Minister & Chief Secretary of Nagaland were read out by Secretary General IRC AK Sharma.

Earlier, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio along with Minister for Roads and Bridges G. Kaito Aye and officials of IRC lit the conference lamp which was followed by the IRC song. Rio also released the IRC souvenir and inaugurated the exhibition stalls while Minister for Road and Bridges Kaito Aye released the IRC documents. Vice President, IRC, Pratap S. Raizada proposed the vote of thanks.

Rio also later inaugurated the exhibition of stalls showcasing the latest technologies in road sector development as well as the local handloom products of Nagaland. EMN
Develop infrastructure on Indian side of border too: Rio PTI
Kohima, (PTI) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today expressed happiness over prime minister Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Myanmar where he announced assistance for infrastructure development in border areas of the neighbouring country which also includes Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar. Expressing happiness over the prime minister’s announcement, Rio insisted that it was also equally important to development of infrastructure, particularly connectivity, on Indian side of the border so that economic potential of region could be realized fully. Speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day Indian Road Congress (IRC) conference here, Rio said the Myanmar regional authority on the other side of the border had proposed to develop four border trading points along Nagaland, and accordingly the state government had submitted the proposal to the Centre but no initiative had been taken so far from New Delhi. He claimed that the Naga people on Indian side of the border was happy with the political recognition given to the Nagas in Myanmar by the new democratic regime there and six Nagas were elected to their parliament in the election. Stressing on the need to develop the historic Stillwel Road and improvement of the existing national highway to Kohima, the chief minister insisted that if India’s Look East Policy has to see light of the day, infrastructure development in border areas on both sides of Myanmar is a must.
GoI policies towards NE need to change: Rio Eastern Mirror
Two-day Indian Roads Congress begins in Kohima Narain B Sagar | EMN
KOHIMA, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today expressed happiness over Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s announcement of a special package for development of Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar during his recent visit to the country. He, however, maintained that road infrastructure development is equally important on the Indian side of the border to facilitate full realisation of the economic potential of the region.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day 197th Mid-Term Council Meeting of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) at the NBCC Convention Hall here today, Rio said the Myanmar regional authority on the other side of the border had proposed to develop four border trading points along Nagaland, and accordingly the State government had submitted the proposal to the Centre. But he said no initiative had been taken so far by New Delhi.
Stressing on the need to develop the historic Stilwell Road and improve the existing National Highway to Kohima, the CM said if India’s Look East Policy is to see the light of the day, infrastructure development in border areas on both sides of Myanmar is a must. He also informed that Nagaland has submitted proposals for development of the areas of Nagaland bordering Myanmar to the Central Government but the decision is awaited.
Dwelling further on the Look East Policy declared by the Government of India to achieve greater economic integration with East Asian economies, Rio informed the gathering that Nagaland has also taken up the trade centre projects at Longwa, Pangsha and Avangkhu on the Myanmar border. He said construction and opening of major roads, including the Stilwell Road, would be a challenge for the Indian Road Congress to address during the meet.
Rio further stated that, while North East is seen as an important link and component of the Look East Policy, grandiose plans of ‘looking east’ are unlikely to succeed if the appropriate investments are not put in place in the region. The approach and policies of the GoI needs a drastic change if the people of this region too are to benefit from the changing dynamics of India’s economic growth, he asserted.
Highlighting some of the special problems faced by the Region, the Chief Minister said infrastructure deficit has been a continued concern and constraint for faster growth. He admitted that the road sector has received special focus through various policy initiatives of the centre such as National Highway Development Projects, the Special Accelerated Roads Development Project in the North East and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and also that the quality as well as coverage of roads network has improved in recent years. He, however, observed that there are still big regional variations in road infrastructure and regretted that higher priority is given to more commercially viable projects while equally important requirements of small states like Nagaland often get ignored.
On Nagaland, Rio said as a hilly and land-locked state it does not have many options for connectivity and road infrastructure is the sole means of transport. While expressing happiness that from a mere 895 km of roads at the time of inauguration of statehood in 1963 Nagaland today has a total length of more than 11,000 km of roads, he nevertheless pointed out that the percentage of surfaced roads is still the lowest amongst the North East States.
Dwelling on the challenges faced in this sector, he said with limited resources the State is largely dependent on the Central government, but with inadequate funding for maintenance, tackling the problems of faster wear and tear caused by difficult terrain and heavy rainfall is not possible. Despite the higher costs involved in the State, we are expected to work within the specifications and financial norms applicable to mainland India, he rued, while stressing that state specific norms and financing mechanisms need to be worked out to maintain roads for a longer period.
Rio also underlined the need to find technical solutions to deal with heavy rainfall during the monsoons and the typical alluvial soil structure of the Naga Hills which he said makes it very vulnerable to landslides and subsidence. He also impressed upon the need to address emerging challenges in the form of designing and building roads with smaller carbon footprints and also reminded that North East is located in Himalayan Seismic Zone 5.
The Chief Minister further briefed the gathering on the need for smaller states like Nagaland to build their own capacity in construction industry, not only for building quality roads in the State and maintaining them but also to take on larger construction projects beyond.
“A collaborative or joint venture arrangement needs to be created whereby large construction companies from outside the state and smaller contractors from the state are able to work together and complement each other to ensure better performance on timely delivery of works and quality construction,” he suggested.
Rio categorically stated that the Government of India ought to understand the need to make greater investments in the road sector in the North East not only for faster economic growth in the region but also to meet strategic defence needs.
Meanwhile, Rio who has also been emphasising on quality control, regretted that in spite of great advances in technology, quality control has not been given due importance in our country. As a result, he said the whole country is suffering inferior or sub-standard works and products. He cited the example of Nagaland where roads are constructed without proper supervision and guidance and also without taking into account the peculiar nature of the soil and topography, etc. Hence, very often we end up in creating liabilities instead of creating real assets, he said.
He pointed out that the problems and challenges of the region are unique which needs to be approached differently taking into account local realities. In this regard, he said a uniform standard approach and guidelines in execution and implementation of many programmes may not be feasible in this part of the country. He expressed optimism that the discussions and deliberations during the session would bring positive changes especially in the infrastructural scenario of the NE Region, with necessary research, identification and development of appropriate technologies for the region, including capacity building mechanism for ensuring better quality and longer lasting roads construction.
Rio also appraised the gathering about the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, wherein he declared that the stretch of National Highway between Dimapur and Kohima would be made into a four-lane highway. He, however, regretted that till today not a single rock has moved in that direction. He hoped that the Indian Road Congress Meet would take the country forward and help in enhancing India's progress and standing in the comity of nations.
In his presidential address, IRC President PN Jain said road development has received attention of policy makers and is now on the fast track. Much more money is available from public as well as private sector for highway infrastructure development, he said, adding that the pace of development will remain fast for a foreseeable future.
He also highlighted several issues concerning the highway sector in India which were to be discussed and addressed during the two-day session, like Road Development Plan 2021, emerging technologies, innovative materials and Road Development; Road Safety and Environment and Capacity building.
Commissioner & Secretary Temjen Toy, in his welcome address, termed the event as a historic occasion and extended warm welcome to the delegates on behalf of the Government of Nagaland. Referring to the frequent landslides in the NE region not only due to its hilly terrain but because of the nature of being on one of the youngest mountain folds, Toy expressed optimism that IRC would look into such peculiar problems taking into account the unique local patterns and help address the practical issues faced by the region.
Messages from VVIPs across the Country, including the Vice President, Prime Minister, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Governor, Chief Minister & Chief Secretary of Nagaland were read out by Secretary General IRC AK Sharma.
Earlier, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio along with Minister for Roads and Bridges G. Kaito Aye and officials of IRC lit the conference lamp which was followed by the IRC song. Rio also released the IRC souvenir and inaugurated the exhibition stalls while Minister for Road and Bridges Kaito Aye released the IRC documents. Vice President, IRC, Pratap S. Raizada proposed the vote of thanks.
Rio also later inaugurated the exhibition of stalls showcasing the latest technologies in road sector development as well as the local handloom products of Nagaland.
No tax collection allowed, orders Govt Eastern Mirror Offices, kiosks not permitted on highways
DIMAPUR, (EMN): Following the many reports and issues arising out of the collection of taxes by the countless unions/associations on national and state highways, especially in Dimapur, the State Government Thursday ordered that ‘no unions or associations or NGOs or any other private or community organisations by whatever name shall be allowed to collect any form of taxes/membership fee/subscription/contribution/donation/charge/levy/toll or any other form of collection of money on state highways/national highways or market places except those expressly authorised by an order of the Government issued by the concerned Secretary of the Department.’
In an order issued Thursday, Chief Secretary Lalthara warned that ‘any person or organisations or unions or associations or NGOs’ flouting the order would be prosecuted under relevant sections, especially under Section 88 and 384 of IPC.
The order noted that despite numerous orders issued in the past banning collection of taxes or cash or money in any other form, the practice continues unabated especially in the district of Dimapur. It said many unions/associations are operating their offices or sub-offices or welfare centres or information kiosks on or very near national highways or state highways whereby commercial vehicles are forced to pay unauthorised membership or subscription or monetary contribution or levied tax or money in various forms by being stopped near authorised check gates or even without check gates.
Stating that such collection of money is not authorised by any law or statute or rule of Government, the order said it causes immense inconvenience to the travelling public and traffic on the roads, puts additional burden on the consumers by way of increased prices and harasses commercial traffic, transporters as well as business establishments.
Taking all these into consideration, the Chief Secretary ordered that no such collection by any union or body will be allowed except those expressly authorised by an order of the Government issued by the concerned Secretary of the Department.
It was further ordered that no union or NGO or any other organisation connected with the welfare of transporters or with any business interest would be allowed to operate any main office or sub-office or information/welfare centre or kiosk or any other structure in the name of the organisation at the state highways or national highways.
Any person or organisation aggrieved by the order can write to the Chief Secretary with a request for exemption from the purview of the order with necessary documentary evidence in support of the grounds on which exemption is sought. The request will then duly be examined by the concerned department which will decide the matter expeditiously after due consultations and after giving an opportunity of hearing to the aggrieved party. However, during the pendency of such request before the government, no such organisation will be allowed to operate or function or carry out its activities as expressly prohibited, said the order issued by and in the name of the Governor.
Nothing will be brushed under the carpet, says new Army Chief Vinay Kumar The Hindu
The Hindu Army Chief General Bikram Singh at the South Block in New Delhi on Friday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy The Hindu General Bikram Singh who took over as the Army Chief said on Friday that all the cases would be dealt as per the rule book and “nothing should be brushed under the carpet”. File photo
PTI General Bikram Singh takes over as the Chief of the Indian Army in New Delhi on Thursday. The Hindu Gen Bikram Singh at a Defence Investiture ceremony at Army Battle Honours Mess in New Delhi. File photo
‘Look through windscreen and not rear view mirror when you take Army forward'
A day after taking over the reins of the Indian Army from General V. K. Singh whose 26-month tenure saw a slew of unseemly controversies, the new Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, on Friday made it clear that nothing would be brushed under the carpet.
While talking to reporters after inspecting a guard of honour on the lawns of South Block which houses the offices of Defence Ministry, General Singh was asked about Defence Minister A. K. Antony’s advice to forget the turbulence of the recent past.
"My outlook is to leave the past behind. Look through the windscreen and not through the rear view mirror when you take the Army forward. The vehicle is driven by looking through the windscreen and not through the rear view mirror," the new Army Chief said. Replying to questions over allegations and instances of indiscipline that are being faced in certain sections in the Army as he took over as Army Chief, he asserted that the Indian Army would continue to carry out its tasks and fulfil its constitutional obligations. "I will make sure that it remains one of the most accountable, most responsive, most disciplined and most worthy element of national power," he said.
Asked about the strain in civil-military relations in the recent past, General Singh said that he would have a look at the problems and find a way ahead. "We will put our best foot forward. We will continue to remain a secular force and we will continue to remain an apolitical force and let us continue to do our job as it is supposed to be done," General Singh, only the second Sikh to take over as the Indian Army Chief, said.
His appointment had to face legal challenge in the form of a public interest litigation (PIL) that was turned down by the Supreme Court. The petitioners have now sought a review of the Supreme Court's decision.
Before taking over as the Army Chief, General Singh was Kolkata-based Eastern Army commander under whose jurisdiction the Dimapur-based 3 Corps functioned. The 3 Corps Commander, Lt-General Dalbir Singh Suhag, was issued a show cause notice by the outgoing Army Chief General V. K. Singh in the last week of May for a botched up intelligence operation. "All these cases will be dealt with as per the rule book," General Bikram Singh said when he was asked about such controversies. "Nothing will be brushed under the carpet, let me assure you this. This will be investigated and let me assure you we will take it to its logical conclusion," the Army Chief asserted.
New Army chief General Bikram Singh promises probe into 'fake encounter' in Nagaland India Today

Army chief General Bikram Singh.
The new Army chief, General Bikram Singh, on Friday promised a thorough and transparent probe into the allegation of a fake encounter in Nagaland's Dimapur district.

The 25th chief of Army staff (COAS), in his first brief interaction with the media after the ceremonial guard of honour at South Block, reacted to the Headlines Today expose.

"There was a letter sent by my chief of staff to 3 Corps to investigate allegations. There is nothing that should be brushed under the carpet. I assure you," Gen Singh said.

Headlines Today had exposed a letter, written by a serving Army major, seeking a probe into the alleged fake encounter by the officers of the Dimapur Corps intelligence unit. General V.K. Singh, who retired on May 31, had said that he had forwarded the complaint to the 3 Corps headquarters and was surprised no probe had been carried out.

The general officer commanding (GOC) of 3 Corps, Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, has been directed to probe the allegation and finalise a report, sources said.

"In the course of time, not far from now, NFNZ will get a team of Human Geographers and Anthropologists to work together similarities between Nagalim and many Pacific states far smaller than Nagalim (themselves comprising of various inter-related tribes) on how a working model is possible for nationhood and governance based on similar models in the Pacific. This working draft paper will be formally submitted to Naga academics, civil society and leaders to help strengthen them in refuting useless arguments made by "New Delhi" based "think tanks" whose sole aim is to discredit and erode the legitimate right of the Naga people to govern themselves. To counter a false ideology one needs to present a strong case based on truth, research and good international exposure of nations similar to Nagalim and their political and governing systems. Each knowledge gain is an asset for the Nagas. - NagaFellowship New Zealand"
Develop infrastructure on Indian side of border too: Rio PTI
Kohima, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today expressed happiness over prime minister Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Myanmar where he announced assistance for infrastructure development in border areas of the neighbouring country which also includes Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar. Expressing happiness over the prime minister’s announcement, Rio insisted that it was also equally important to development of infrastructure, particularly connectivity, on Indian side of the border so that economic potential of region could be realized fully. Speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day Indian Road Congress (IRC) conference here, Rio said the Myanmar regional authority on the other side of the border had proposed to develop four border trading points along Nagaland, and accordingly the state government had submitted the proposal to the Centre but no initiative had been taken so far from New Delhi. He claimed that the Naga people on Indian side of the border was happy with the political recognition given to the Nagas in Myanmar by the new democratic regime there and six Nagas were elected to their parliament in the election. Stressing on the need to develop the historic Stillwel Road and improvement of the existing national highway to Kohima, the chief minister insisted that if India’s Look East Policy has to see light of the day, infrastructure development in border areas on both sides of Myanmar is a must.