Kohima [Nagaland], March 21 (HornbillTV): The Nagaland Groundwater (Regulation & Control of Development and Management) Bill, 2020 was introduced today at the 11th session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

The bill was moved by geology mining and soil & water conservation and geology & mining minister V. Kashiho Sangtam. The minister said the main objective of the proposed bill was to Regulate, Control of Development and Management of groundwater resource in the state.

It aims to enforce and implement with proper regulatory mechanism by systematically and scientifically exploiting groundwater resource of the State for long term planning and sustainable management.  Stating that in recent years, it has been observed that several private groundwater drilling parties have carried out groundwater abstraction without proper knowledge and understanding of the groundwater regime, he said considering the objective and reasons, it was felt expedient to introduce the Bill.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio laid Annual Administrative Reports 2021-22 for the departments of Finance, Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, State Council of Educational Research & Training, Youth Resources & Sports, State Institute of Rural Development, Women Resource Development, Tourism, Industries & Commerce, Justice & Law and Economies & Statistics.

Rio also laid two Government Rules on Nagaland Motor Accident Claims Tribunal Rules, 2022 and Rules of Micro & Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (MSEFC) Under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (27 of 2006).

Minister for agriculture & cooperation G. Kaito Aye, minister for Public Health Engineering N. Jacob Zhimomi, minister for geology & mining and soil & water conservation V. Kashiho Sangtam and minister for planning & coordination, land revenue and parliamentary affairs Neiba Kronu tabled their respective departments Annual Administrative Report 2021-2022.

Earlier, Dr. P.J. Antony, commissioner & secretary for NLA Secretariat reported the assent of the Governor of Nagaland on three bills. Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2021, Nagaland Goods & Services Tax (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2021 and Nagaland Lokayukta (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Dr. Chotisuh Sazo, Chairman Committee on Subordinate Legislation presented Seventy-Sixth Report on the Nagaland Building and other Construction Workers.

While K. Tokugha Sukhalu, Chairman, Public Accounts Committee presented 126th Report of the Committee on Public Accounts Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/ Recommendations contained in the 120 Report of the Committee on the C & AG Report of India.

Later, the house adopted motion of thanks to the Governor. The concluding remark was made by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.