Centre plays stepmother to State

Kohima, Oct 9: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio accused the Centre of step-motherly attitude towards the state and said this has hindered the development process here.

Speaking, at a meeting at Dimapur yesterday, said the Centre denied to sponsor the study tour of 10 Naga students to Israel.

Slamming against the former Restricted Area Permit (RAP), which forbids outsiders from entering the state for any developmental activities, he questioned the centre's motive for imposing such restrictions.

''If such attitude of the Centre prevails, nothing would progress and the state would lag behind,'' he said.

'' I am frustrated in rendering the services to the people as a Chief Minister,'' he added.

Mr Rio said the state government had planned to hire professionals from abroad for development of human resources but the Centre refused the proposal.

Reiterating that government is only a facilitator and not a job provider, the Chief Minister noted it was fine to change mindset and attitude and ''vigorously pursue our career through sheer hard work and dilligence.''

UNI