The Nagaland government has planned to improve road connectivity, ensure uninterrupted power and water supply as well as easy access to financial institutions to develop quality and reliable infrastructure across the state for sustainable industrialisation by 2030, according to a vision document of the state government.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently unveiled the “Nagaland SDG Vision 2030 – Leaving no one behind”. It provides short, medium and long term strategies to achieve 17 sustainable development goals (SDG), including industry and infrastructure.

With no major industries in the state, the vision document stated that a robust transport network is the backbone of all development.

The strategies to be undertaken across the state during the next 10 years is to improve road transport to provide standardised and efficient passenger bus services within the state as well as to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and Myanmar for strengthening socio-economic relations with neighbouring states and countries, the document said.

On promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the state government plans for judicious dedication of resources to priorities and adapting the goals in accordance with local challenges and capacities is important.

The government would focus on a two-pronged strategy – give stimulus to a wider spectrum of industries and sectors and provide industry specific direct and indirect incentives, the document said.

There is a suggestion that existing industries would be strengthened to make them more productive and competitive by infusion of capital investments for technology upgradation coupled with provisions of marketing incentives/subsidies as applicable.

The focus shall be on identification and promotion of enterprises with import substitution products having domestic market potential, the document said.

The government also plans to set up a high powered Industrial Facilitation Committee to provide an overall direction and monitor the progress and implementation of the SDG schemes and initiatives.

The State Industrial Policy would be revised to make it competent and conducive to resolving the challenges of promoting and development of sustainable industrialisation of Nagaland, the vision document added.

The ultimate vision is to develop quality and reliable infrastructure across the state to provide an enabling economic environment for the promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialisation that fosters innovation.

Nagaland is a resource crunch state which depends mainly on the funding from the central government.