Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXVIII No. 41
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018 Pages 12 ` 5.00
Defence Minister Sitharaman flies in Sukhoi for 40 minutes
S. Africa beat India in 2nd test
Alec Baldwin criticises stars for denouncing Woody Allen
national, Page 5
sports, Page 12
infotaintment, Page 10
Zeliang’s plea on development Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JAN 17 (NPN): Nagaland Chief Minister (CM), T. R Zeliang and Minister for PWD (National Highways), Y. Vikheho Swu have solicited the public’s support for the various developmental projects in the state. They were speaking at the launching programme of the improvement of the city portion of Dimapur city (KM 106.90 to Km 124.20) on National Highway (NH) 29, held at Purana Bazaar junction, Dimapur, where the CM also unveiled the foundation stone for the project. In his speech, CM said that two-laning of the 4.4 km road from New Field Check gate to Zion Hospital and the four-laning of the 12.90 km road from Zion hospital to Chumukedima will be paved with cement for a better quality concrete road, and has a contract value of Rs. 509.08 crores. Zeliang also took the opportunity to thank Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) for sanctioning these projects. Recalling the history
ECI may announce poll dates today Staff Reporter
D imapur , Jan 1 7 (NPN): Election Commission of India is likely to announce the poll schedules for states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura on January 18. Official sources said Nagaland was likely to go to polls on March 2. T h e d e l ay i n a n nouncement of polls was attributed to finalisation of voter’s list in some states including pleas for deferment of polls in Nagaland. The five-year term of the assembly in Nagaland will expire on March 13.
State gets `79.7 cr drainage project D I M A P U R , JA N 1 7 (NPN): Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has sanctioned a drainage project worth Rs.79.7 crore for Nagaland under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. “A Drainage project worth Rs.79.7 crore has sanctioned for #Nagaland,” AMRUT posted a tweet Wednesday. It also stated that urban mobility projects worth Rs.22 crore were under implementation in Nagaland.
T.R.Zeliang and colleagues at the launching of NH projects at Purana Bazaar junction, Dimapur (NP).
of the Dimapur- Chumukedima road, Zeliang said that in the years 2000 and 2001, the government had sought to widen the road, but land owners had gone to the courts, and delayed the work. According to Zeliang, the government had also contemplated an alternative route by-passing the main town of Dimapur, from NH-36 in Karbi-Anglong, through the Rangapahar army cantonment to 7th mile area which did not materialize due to objections
from various quarters. Zeliang called upon the people to ensure availability of land and to extend cooperation to enable timely completion of the projects with quality. He was hopeful that these projects would complete in about 18 months. He said that it had been difficult to earmark funds for even routine maintenance work because Nagaland was completely dependent on the Centre since we are a poor state with very few resources.
DIMAPUR, JAN 17 (NPN): Following the reports of NPF severing ties with BJP in Nagaland, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Wednesday accused the NPF of “double standard talk to fool the voters in Nagaland once again and cover up their failures.” NPCC through its media cell asserted that both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members were still supporting the BJP-led NDA government at the centre as well as in Manipur. Congress claimed that very recently RS member, KG Kenye, and minister, Kuzholuzo Nienu, assured BJP president, Amit Shah, to continue their 40 years alliance. Recalling NPF resolution to sever ties with BJP adopted in July 2017, the NPCC said reaffirmation of July 19, 2017 resolution on January 16, 2018 was “laced with an intent to hoodwink
voters.” Congress insisted that both LS and RS members withdraw their support to the BJP and sit in the opposition bench with Congress in the Parliament if there was any truth in the abrogation of ties with BJP. “They should also withdraw from BJP Ministry in Manipur state,” NPCC stated. Further, holding NPF responsible for all activities and freedom of Hindutva activity in Nagaland, NPCC said: “We all know after election they will again come together singing chorus of 40 years association.” Congress maintained that previously in Manipur, BJP announced severing ties with NPF, but after elections, BJP was the first one to have invited NPF to join the minority government in Manipur. “Liars can’t be trusted. Today they are together in the BJP Ministry. How can they fool Nagaland
D I M A P U R , JA N 1 7 (NPN): Though NPF had announced severance of ties with BJP which was decided at its general meeting on July 18 as the BJP had taken sides against then chief minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu; the issue was yet to be reviewed after present chief minister T.R. Zeliang and NPF president and ex-CM Dr.Shürhozelie Lieziestu patched up in December 2017 and the BJP continuing as part of the DAN government. The Central Office Bearers (COB) of the NPF held a meeting on January 15, 2018 in Kohima where the issue figured and also as reported in sections of the local press. Reacting to the reports appearing in sections of the local press, that NPF had reaffirmed its earlier July 18 decision to sever ties with BJP, NPF Press & Media Bureau (M&PB) said the reports were “mischievous” since the only conclusion made by COB was to refer it back to the CEC and for which the meeting empowered NPF
president Dr.Shürhozelie Liezietsu to convene a meeting of the CEC. In view of the above, M&PB maintained that the headlines of the reports (of NPF severing ties with BJP) were “incorrect and misleading”. Further M&PB said NPF was aware that some political leaders were trying to woo BJP to become their ally to which the NPF had no objections. However NPF advised such leaders not to play “calculated mischief ” over ties with BJP. M&PB also denied that COB ever discussed the issue of issuing NPF tickets to either sitting MLAs or MPs for the ensuing election since the COB had no power in the matter. Further M&PB said NPF was yet to know whether the election would be held in time since there had been many people and organisations who had “woken up from their slumber” and started to talk loudly about a solution to the Naga political issue at the moment. M&PB said NPF had
always been for solution to the Naga issue since the beginning and therefore, it had maintained silence awaiting the outcome. M&PB said the only matter COB discussed was that the party did not want a repeat of 1998 of handing over the government “as a free gift to some political parties.” Clarifying on the COB meeting of January 15, M&PB said the following were resolved: 1. NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu was empowered to convene the meeting of the CEC at the earliest convenient time; 2. The meeting endorsed the decision of the president in revoking all suspension/expulsion orders of all NPF workers/ office bearers of the Division/Area unit and restoration of primary and active membership with effect from January 12, 2018; 3. Resolved to urge upon all party rank and file to “bury the past differences” and come together in a true spirit of reconciliation for the betterment and upliftment of the party.
voters,” NPCC stated. Meanwhile, the NPCC while acknowledging the importance of institutions to meet the growing need of skill development, science, medical and engineering studies, said it did not agree to the “patronage extended by the state government to people with RSS background.” It also charged Thomas Ngullie, MLA, saying he perhaps knew that he was “planting the Trishul in the heart of Nagaland and maybe this is his intention.” NPCC also termed as “shocking” the chief minister, T.R. Zeliang, “blindly” agreeing to lay foundation stones with yoga guru Ramdev, who it claimed was the brand ambassador of RSS. “Giving free land hold to Patanjali Trust is in violation of Art.371(A). We will oppose such ventures that compromise our Constitutional rights,” NPCC affirmed.
D I M A P U R , JA N 1 7 (NPN): Lok Sabha MP and three-time chief minister Neiphiu Rio has formally joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party(NDPP) after quitting the NPF which he helped found with late Vizol. According to NDPP p r e s i d e n t C h i n g wa n g Konyak, he and party working president Alemtemshi Jamir went to the Dimapur residence of Rio on Wednesday and invited him to formally join the NDPP. Konyak said Rio accepted the invitation and will now lead the party in the forthcoming general election 2018 to be announced shortly. Konyak said Rio acknowledged that the NDPP party was formed to bring positive change in Naga society and to implement the vision to ensure transparency in governance, implement progressive de-
NDPP leaders led by president Chingwang Konyak and working president Alemtemshi Jamir with Neiphiu Rio after his formal joining.
common endeavour to bring lasting peace, positive change and inclusive development. Meanwhile, Rio has tendered his resignation to
the NPF party president. In the letter Rio informed that he has resigned from primary, active and all other memberships of the NPF party.
DNSU endorses NSF E-way bill for transporters effective from Feb 1 poster campaign
NH team leaves for New Delhi
DNSU volunteers during the poster campaign.
K Y M C
(Cont’d on p-7)
NEW DELHI, JAN 17 (AGENCIES): The Supreme Court on Wednesday started the final hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Aadhaar system. The petitioners told the five-judge Constitution bench in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the Aadhaar data base “tends to terrorise citizens with the country becoming a totalitarian regime” as there is “no free consent in furnishing biometric information for Aadhaar.” Senior Supreme Court lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners, said that Aadhaar will cause the death of civil rights and transform a people’s Constitution into a State’s Constitution. Former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani, however, defended the system again saying that India’s achievement with the Aadhaar is in itself a revolution. In August, 2017, a ninejudge bench of SC had held that Right to Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had also claimed it violated privacy rights.
COB refers issue of NPF severing ties with BJP to CEC
Cong accuses NPF of ‘doublespeak’ Neiphiu Rio joins NDPP, resigns from NPF
This is it!
“Every party is watching NPF infighting. Then only can they decide on the candidates.”
But now with the Nagaland Road Maintenance Policy 2017 in place and earmarked funds available, he hoped that the department would be able to ensure better up-keep and maintenance of the roads. Zeliang appealed to the public to extend their support and cooperation for the two projects launched which would improve the roads within Dimapur - the commercial capital of Nagaland.
SC begins final Aadhaar hearing
DIMAPUR, JAN 17 (NPN): Diphupar Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Wednesday, conducted their own poster campaign in support of the Naga Students’ Federation’s (NSF’s) poster campaign to impress upon the Government of India to reach a final agreement on the Naga political issue before the assembly elections. Also supporting the
NSF’s proposed general mass rally on January 23 at Naga Solidarity Park in Kohima, the DNSU stated that it will participate in the rally and voice the people’s desire that “we want solution not election.” DNSU also appealed to the student community to participate in the proposed rally and show solidarity for the movement of the NSF.
New Delhi, Jan 17 (AGENCIES): By February 1,2018 when e-way bill comes into effect in several states, transporters will not need separate transit passes for moving goods from one state to another as the e-way bill issued to them will be valid throughout India. These electronic bills can be generated from the GSTN portal. The e-way bill system was introduced under the Goods and Services Tax , but couldn’t be implemented earlier as the required IT infrastructure wasn’t in place. E-way bill is a mechanism to ensure that goods being transported comply with the GST Law and is an effective tool to track movement of goods and check tax evasion. Under the Goods and Services Tax rolled out from July last year, inter-state movement of goods beyond 10 kms, with a value of
Rs 50,000 and above, will mandatorily require e-way bill from February 1. GSTN CEO Prakash Kumar said: “Taxpayers and transporters need not visit any tax office or check post as the e-way Bill can be generated electronically in a self-service mode. “The new system enables generation of e-Way bill on the portal, through mobile App, through SMS and for large users using offline tool.” The e-way bill system has already been rolled out in four states -- Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Kerala. These states together generate nearly 1.4 lakh e-way bills per day. “The remaining states will join during next fortnight. The period up to January 31,2018 will be used as trial period for all stakeholders,” GSTN said in a statement. It said transporters who want to generate e-way
velopment and combat corruption. The NDPP president has further appealed to all sections of the people to join the party for the
bill can visit the ‘ewaybill. nic.in’ portal and register themselves by giving the GSTIN. Transporters who are not registered under GST can enrol themselves under e-way bill system by providing their PAN or Aadhaar to generate the eWay Bill. Alert messages are also issued to the users through online and SMS. “Vehicle number can be entered by those who generate E- way Bill or transporter and they can also update the vehicle number in case of vehicle breakdown or transshipment,” said GSTN, the company handling the technology backbone for GST roll out. There is provision for cancellation of e-way Bill within 24 hours of its generation. “No E-way Bill is required for movement of goods in non- motorised conveyance and also for certain class of goods like
fruits, vegetables, fish and water,” it added. The e-way bill rules provide for random verification which can be done by a tax officer. However, he has to upload the requisite report within the specified time. Also, if a transporter faces detention of more than 30 minutes, he can upload a report on the portal Rules, Notification, User Manual, FAQs and Computer based tutorials (CBTs) are available online. GSTN has invited suggestions from stakeholders on the e-way bill system. The e-way bill can also be generated or cancelled through SMS, he said. When an e-way bill is generated, a unique e-way bill number (EBN) is allocated and is available to the supplier, recipient, and the transporter, he added. Trade and transporters can start using this system on a voluntary basis from January 16.
DIMAPUR, JAN 17 (NPN): A Naga Hoho delegation has reportedly left for New Delhi to apprise the government of India for postponement of the general elections 2018. In a press release, Naga Hoho vice president, H.K. Zhimomi, and assembly secretary, K. Elu Ndang, said it was, however, learnt that threemember team from Election Commission of India (ECI) was currently in Nagaland to oversee the election preparedness. In this regard, the NH has appealed to the election commission “not to impose Indian Election” at this juncture. Rather, the hoho urged the commission to understand the ground reality and convince the government of India to postpone the election. The hoho recently appealed to the Nagas to gear up and defend their inherent rights and disallow holding of election in their land. K Y M C