MPs upbeat over PM Narendra Modi's visit to Nagaland

KOHIMA: Members of Parliament from Nagaland have said the people of the State are keenly awaiting the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the State in December.

"We are confident that your visit will be historic and will begin a new era for peace and development in Nagaland," said Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio and Rajya Sabha MP Khekiho Zhimomi in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister today.

Stating that Nagaland is the 16th State of the Indian Union and celebrated its 50th year of Statehood last year, the two Naga MPS lamented that despite five decades of statehood, Nagaland is a backward state with poor infrastructure and lack of facilities on several fronts and the State does not have any national or regional project worth the name.

"It is in this background that the people are looking forward to announcement of a Prime Minister's package during your visit," they said.

They proposed that the Centre take up project for a Medical College at Kohima as a fully funded national project.

The State needs quality Hindi language teachers as the population, especially in the hilly belts are still not comfortable with Hindi, they said while suggesting that the centre may consider establishment of a high quality Hindi Language Institute in the State.

Recalling that during the visit of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, he had announced a youth employment package which made the State Government launch the Year of Youth Empowerment, the MPs urged the PM to consider a youth employment package in order to overcome the unemployment challenges of the State and also to tap into the talents and capabilities of the youth of Nagaland.