Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the NDPP-BJP government in Nagaland to initiate steps to implement ‘One district-One product’ as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and implemented by the UttarPradesh government.
The Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the first CSR-Investment Conclave organised by the Nagaland government at Kohima on Aug 22, Monday.
“Today the world wants Organic products, you are sitting with a wealth of organic products…that has to be aggregated. Ideally aggregate it by people belonging to this area so that you can benefit from it. Aggregate and store it and without loss of time be able to find a time elsewhere in India or outside to market,” Ms Sitharaman said in presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, industry captains from various parts of the country and other state ministers.
“I would suggest each district of Nagaland to identify a product ….. can be agri product, can be a handicraft product, weavers’ product. The best in the district…Union Govt and banks can come and help set up primary infrastructures that you need”.
She said, “There are some states, who have taken up the call given by honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One District, One Product…for instance, states like Uttar Pradesh in 2019-20 started identifying products within a district, which will not be supported in another district. Pineapple, I know, is superb in one particular district of Nagaland….
“If you identify a product from each district, the Government of India has come out with a good plan which gets executed even through banks to provide common facilities for processing, packing,” Ms Sitharaman said.
Atal Tinkering Scheme:
The Finance Minister lamented that the Atal Tinkering scheme for schools has not been implemented in Nagaland.
“Atal tinkering labs should have come to your schools”, Ms Sitharaman said in presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and other ministers.
On this, she said, the Niti Aayog has “..a very good scheme– which I have taken to Karnataka as MP from that state”.
The Minister maintained – “Entire coastal and western part of Karnataka benefited by setting up in schools the Atal Innovation Vision Mission projects where they set up fantastic Science labs in schools; and that are upgraded upwards in colleges and also universities…
“The Atal tinkering labs should have come to your schools…You should have had Atal tinkering labs in most of your schools by now…,” she remarked adding, “at least now, make sure that Nagaland schools do get the benefit of tinkering labs”.
