CM�s burnt residence be re-built with contributions from MLAs

Kohima, Feb 16 (PTI) Nagaland chief minister�s officialresidence, which was damaged in a devastating fire on February8, will be reconstructed with "donations" from the rulingparty legislators since the government has no fund to rebuildthe same immediately.

The ruling party legislators decided to contribute fundfrom their Local Area Development Fund (LADF) forreconstruction of the damaged residence. While the ministerswillingly decided to contribute Rs 2 lakh each, parliamentarysecretaries Rs 1 lakh and MLAs Rs 50,000 each, Chief MinisterNeiphiu Rio disclosed while inaugurating the new officebuilding of Directorate of Civil Defence and Home Guards hereyesterday.

Rio said the construction work would commence in a weekand re-construction be completed within a year.

The residence portion of the old Assam type building atMinisters� Hills area was completely gutted but the fire wasprevented from spreading to the office block. As a temporaryarrangement, Rio and his family were being shifted to theDGP''s official residence.

The chief minister insisted on modernization of oldofficial residences of ministers and secretaries, which wereconstructed in the 1960s when the statehood was attained. PTIAPRG