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SunDAY • MArch 20 • 2016
DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 77 • 12 PAGes • 5
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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit Actor Kalabhavan Mani’s death: Police find insecticide bottle
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
resources & sports: cAG report
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Night curfew reinforced on the Assam side bordering Nagaland moKoKchung, march 19 (DiPr): Additional District Magistrate, Sivasagar has informed that night curfew from dusk to dawn have been reinforced in the 5 km belt of Assam side bordering Nagaland in order to check anti-social elements. It further states that U/S 144 Cr.P.C have been promulgated from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM in the areas of Assam side thereby prohibiting movement of any person/ group of persons/vehicular traffic in the 5 km belt in Assam side of Sivasagar district bordering Nagaland. However, Magistrate, Security Personnel and Officers deployed on duty are exempted from the preview of this prohibitory order. The order will come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force for a period of 60 (sixty) days.
Small birds have vision twice as fast as humans
C M Y K
LonDon, march 19 (ianS): Researchers have found that the blue tit, collared flycatcher and pied flycatcher have the fastest eyesight in the animal kingdom, with their vision being more than twice as fast as humans. Thought to be the fastest of any vertebrate animal, their remarkable vision system, allows them to see the world around them in slow motion. “Bird species similar to the blue tit, collared flycatcher and pied flycatcher, both ecologically and physiologically, probably also share the faculty of superfast vision,” said lead researcher Anders Ödeen, lecturer at Uppsala University in Sweden. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, showed that perching birds, or passerines, have eyes with a temporal visual resolution -- precision of a measurement with respect to time -- of up to 146Hz.
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earth Hour in nagaland several lapses in nagaland Youth
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T R u T H
— Aristotle
Indigenous games & sports marks Spring Festival 2016
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o F
Earth Hour observed in Dimapur on Saturday, March 19. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News Dimapur | March 19
Global warming and climate change have emerged as burning issues pitting environmentalists against policy makers. The apprehension of a deteriorating environment has challenged scientists to reduce carbon emission while forcing governments to rethink on industrial policy. While policy makers and scientists do their part, lay people can also contribute towards improving the planet’s health. Earth Hour gives an opportunity to citizens to play a part in tackling climate change. The Earth Hour move-
ment seeks to engage people at the grassroots to fight climate change. All a person has to do is switch off electricity for 60 minutes at an appointed hour, which falls on March 19. The effort allows the individual to directly involve in reducing energy consumption. Nagaland too has been part of this global grassroots effort for the past 4-5 years. Every year, on March 19, the power department shuts down the supply even as citizens look away. The people’s contention, “We get our own share of ‘Earth Hours’ everyday in the form of ‘load shedding.” This year, too, the department shut down power
supply. The ‘switch off’ was affected at around 8:50 pm. One department official commented that the observance has become more of enforcement than voluntary, diluting the essence of the movement. However, Nagaland happened to be the only state in the north-east to be observing the Earth Hour. As per the power allocation (real time) data uploaded by the North Eastern Load Despatch Centre, Shillong, at 9:00 pm, March 19, Nagaland was drawing only 9.9MW of the allocated 52MW. The rest of the states, except Manipur, were drawing beyond the allocated quantum.
Kohima, march 19 (PTi): The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has detected several lapses in planning, financial management and construction of sports infrastructure in Nagaland’s Department of Youth Resources and Sports (DYRS). The CAG Report on Social, Economic Revenue and General Sector of Nagaland for the year ended March 31, 2015, tabled in the Assembly today, stated that the only aspect worthy of appreciation noticed was there was no “gender bias” in selection of sportspersons for imparting training at two establishments in the State. The major findings of the CAG with regard to the department were the failure to prepare a developmental plan for sports and youth activities which led to adhoc promotion of sports and culture in the State. It said scouting programme for talents at subdivision level was not conducted resulting in lost opportunity of tapping into sports talents at the grassroots level. The State Government did not release funds under ‘Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan’ resulting in refund of Rs 1.27 crore to the Centre including a penal interest of Rs 24 lakh. The Department of YRS diverted Rs 5.71 crore from the approved developmental activities by violating
expenditure on salaries, pension increases: cAG Our Correspondent Kohima | March 19
The expenditure on salaries under Non-Plan and Plan during the current year registered Rs. 3165.57 Crore and Rs. 108.58 Crore respectively. According to the CAG Report, the expenditure on salaries increased by Rs. 1240.23 Crore (60.98 per cent) from Rs. 2033.93 Crore in 2010- 11 to Rs. 3274.16 Crore in 2014-15 and was Rs. 1701.97 Crore more than the projection made in XIII-FC (Rs. 1572.19 Crore). The report stated that the expenditure on salaries and wages increased by Rs. 333.36 Crore (11.34 per cent) over the previous years’ mainly due to release of norms, it said. The CAG also found that the Multi-disciplinary Sports Complex in Dimapur district was not functional despite expenditure of Rs 58 crore incurred on its construction. Sports infrastructure created with a cost of Rs 45.43 crore to develop a cricket stadium at Sovima failed to meet National and International standards. The Department released Rs 6.02 crore against unexecuted items of work by recording fraudulent measurement in the Measurement Book against seven projects. Coaches and sportspersons were not motivated due to inadequate prac-
dearness allowance installments and incremental benefits. Salary and wages accounted for 42.81 per cent of the revenue receipts during 2013-14. The report also stated that the expenditure on pension had increased by Rs. 210.04 Crore (30.22 per cent) from Rs. 695.11 Crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 905.15 Crore in 2014-15. The pension payment was Rs. 329.84 Crore more than the assessment made by XIII- FC (Rs. 575.31Crore). “However, it was Rs. 90.15 Crore more than the assessment made by the State Government in its MTFPS (Rs. 815.00 Crore) for the year 2014-15,” the report stated.
tising facilities and equipment, lack of job reservation policies for sportspersons, inadequate provision of rewards and incentives. There was no quality assurance mechanism in purchase of sports good and equipments, the CAG remarked.
Nagaland govt fails to submit UCs
The CAG report also revealed that Nagaland State Government has failed to submit the Utilisation Certificates (UCs) of 104 grants in respect of 11 departments aggregating to Rs 217.65 crore till March 31, 2015. The CAG revealed that, of the 629 grants in respect
of 11 departments aggregating to Rs 830.33 crore paid up to 2014-15, 104 UCs for aggregate amount of Rs 217.65 crore were in arrear from a year to five years till March 31, 2015. The CAG also pointed that in the absence of UCs, it could not be ascertained whether the recipients had utilised the grant for the purpose for which it was given. The department wise outstanding UCs, as exposed by CAG Report for the year ended March 31, 2015 is as follows: In Urban Development from 2010-11 to 2013-14, a total of 46 grants amounting to 16979.51 lakh was paid but UCs are pending for 23 grants amounting to Rs 8313.49 lakh.
Mother tongue needs to be the nlA session adjourned sine die medium of instruction in schools Saturday’s proceeding • 196 languages & dialects on the verge of extinction in India • Caste system creeping into Naga society? • Naga languages endangered Morung Express News Dimapur | March 19
Prof. Joga Singh, Professor of Linguistics at Punjab University, listed the negative impacts of English being used as a medium of education in lieu of mother tongues in schools in India. According to the Linguistics professor, using English as a medium of education not only adversely affects the true growth of a child but also has social and political ramifications. Prof. Singh said due to wide circulation of English as medium of education in many schools throughout the country, 196 Indian languages and dialects are on the verge of extinction. Prof. Singh was speaking on ‘Language and medium of education: excluding disparities, including diversities’ in the first session of the concluding day of the 3-day national seminar on ‘Impact of commercialization and communalization of Education in Naga society’ organized by All India Forum for Right to education (AIFRTE), at Patkai Christian College, Seithekiema, on Saturday. The professor said a foreign language as a medium in schools tends to divide families as the child finds it difficult to communicate with her parents or grandparents and vice versa, since school language also becomes the first language of the child. He was also of the opinion that children who do not get education in their mother tongue cannot become efficient administrators, teachers or doctors as they would not be able to effectively communicate with the grassroots people who form the majority of India’s population. “The knowledge you get from other mediums, you cannot take it back to your so-
ciety,” he said. Singh also hinted on the possibility of caste-like system creeping into Naga society between children who study in expensive private English medium schools and those in government schools. On social and political ramifications, the Linguistics professor said Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) decided to severe itself from Pakistan since Pakistan insisted on Urdu as the official language whereas East Pakistan wanted Bengali also to be included as official language. He said of the 50 leading universities in Asia, Singapore and Hongkong top the list and universities in these countries teach in their own mother tongues. “Mother tongue allows you to develop your linguistic abilities in a better way and these abilities can, in turn, be transferred to learning other languages,” Singh said. In conclusion, Singh said the only way to have a common school system in India is to introduce respective mother tongues as medium of education in schools. Dr. Mimi K Ezung, Associate Prof Department of Tenyidie, Nagaland University, speaking on ‘Communalization through language: The Nagaland Context,’ briefed on the classification of Naga languages - native language, societal language and pedagogical language. Highlighting facts on Naga languages, she noted how UNESCO has listed Naga languages among endangered languages. She raised the question of where the native Naga languages/dialects stand today in terms of development. She explained how Nagamese, the lingua franca, may climb up the social ladder and find itself a seat among native Naga languages. Further, Dr. Ezung raised a thought provoking question of the policy of central Government to promote Nagamese in Nagaland rather than trying to discuss serious concerns of the State. She went on to add whether the promotion of Nagamese was a ploy to pose Nagamese as a threat so that an alternative, that is Hindi, be preferred by the native Nagas. Is this a case of communalism through language? Related news on page 5
lasts 13 minutes
Our Correspondent Kohima | March 19
The Eleventh Session of the Twelfth Nagaland Legislative Assembly which began on March 15 was adjourned sine die on March 19 by NLA speaker Chotisuh Sazo after completing all the assembly proceedings. Today’s assembly proceeding started at 9:30am and ended by around 9:43am, lasting for 13 minutes. The last day of the assembly proceedings witnessed presentation of Assembly Committee reports, passing of Demand for Grants for the year 2016-17, passing of Nagaland
Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2016, presentation of C&AG Report and announcement of various financial and non-financial committee and panel of chairmen for 2016-17. It may be recalled that Nagaland State’s Governor PB Acharya made Governor’s Address on March 15 while Chief Minister TR Zeliang presented full budget for the year 2016-17 on March 17 with annual plan outlay for 2016-17 projected at Rs. 3924.47 crores. Zeliang told the Assembly that for the first time since the 13th Finance Commission period, the State Government has been able to release all the pending CDs in this current financial year. He also stated that for the first time, the Government has a positive BCR (Balance from Current Revenue)
of Rs. 71.62 crores for 2016-17. He said that during the past, the BCR gap was negative, even exceeding Rs. 1000.00 crores up to 2000 crores on a few occasions. He also said that for the first time, the accumulated deficit has been brought down through internal management and termed it as “commendable achievement.” Naga political issue dominated the general discussions on Governor’s Address and Budget presentation. Among the many other proceedings, the assembly witnessed passing two Government Bills- Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Bill, 2015 and Nagaland Backward Tribes Commission Bill, 2016. Related news on page 5
Budget ‘16 is new hope for corruption: NPCC
Kohima, march 19 (mExn): Nagaland State Government’s Budget 2016 is a “new hope for corruption” stated Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) President, K. Therie, in a press release today. Noting that the budget is “bereft of any fiscal policy to produce, distribute or control,” he said it showed no “sign of reformation” and had no welfare programs. “Health, farmers, youth employment and price rise are all ignored. There is no policy to control corruption. The Budget does not talk about either the welfare of BPL families or the living conditions of the people. The budget reflects that the State will continue to remain stagnant in developmental activities, while roads and created infrastructure will continue to remain as it is,” the NPCC President lamented. Passing Rs. 13, 645 Crores “without opposition; all with a vision of raiding and sharing the spoils of power, leaves no hope for the public,” he stated. Assuming that “it is only for corruption” that the 2016 budget has been “lost in the name public service,” Therie stated that it is because of “deficit and hoarding in civil deposit, they
are able to pay even 50% or more commission. The Budget is a new hope for renewed corruption.” He stated that the Rs.1265 Crore from last year’s award in the Non-plan is “only a normal increase.” Noting that deficit figures have been “hovering over” Rs. 1400 Crore for years, the NPCC President stated that “We do not see enough reason why this should be since the 6th ROP was fully covered by a grant of Rs. 712 Crore of special nonplan assistance with additional plan assistance of Rs. 326 Crore during UPA Govt in 2010 but there has been no developmental work in the State. There are also serious doubts with Civil Deposits which are drawn against work orders that are under progress. Drawing in the name of CDs without actual cash availability is a betrayal of trust and will effect cash out-go during the Current Financial Year.” The State Plan is indicated at Rs. 3924.47 Crore with hardly Rs.580 Crore in the divisible pool for all Departmental plan activities. The remaining are Centrally Sponsored Scheme-earmarked programs (Rs.3344.47 Crore). Observing that “this is an improvement” from last year, K Therie, however, maintained
that the small plan fund will be “misused in LADF and additional selective payments.” “Achieving Centrally Sponsored Schemes will depend on timely release of funds and submission of utilization reports,” he said. The State Government, the NPCC informed, has “failed to bring out a works program since the beginning of 2013.” “It is now several years that the offices have been complaining of lack of funds. The 14thFinance Commission has fully covered non-plan and therefore there is no question of deficit. How come there is Civil Deposits when there is no works program and nothing is happening on the ground? Pending bills of genuine contractors and suppliers may amount to some few hundred crores but not in terms of over 2000 crores (Deficit + Civil Deposits),” the NPCC iterated. According to the NPCC, “The difference of policy between the Congress and NPF-led BJP DAN are that we believe in decentralisation while they believe in centralisation. Congress believes in inclusive public growth while they believe in individual growth.”