Naharlagun: The hilly and agrarian state of Arunachal Pradesh can learn a lot from New Zealand, said the state’s Deputy Speaker Jomde Kena, who returned from a visit to New Zealand recently.
According to the Arunachal Front, Kena, who was part of Indian delegates representing all states, attended a four-day ‘Australian component of the international executive workshops on ‘good governance’ and on ‘leadership in urban and rural management’ in Auckland.
“New Zealand has adopted high-tech even in farming and their products are sold in western countries like hot cakes that enrich the nation’s coffer. The manpower use is least to avoid human error and achieve perfection”, Kena pointed out.
Kena had spoken on the systems of governance in Arunachal, and while holding discussions with global delegates, had deliberated on local government reforms, local government capacity building and HRD and solid waste management.
The most striking feature of N/Zealand governance is that the government serves as facilitator only without providing any subsidy under any head, unlike India or any state in our country, Kena disclosed.
The island nation located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, some 1,500 km east of Australia, is one of the last lands on earth to be settled by humans. Europeans were the first to made contact in 1642 CE, he informed.
New Zealand has a distinctive biodiversity of both animal and plant life while its varied topography and sharp mountain peaks are similar to that of Arunachal offering unique similarities as Arunachal is one of the 12 biodiversity hotspots in the world, Kena said, adding that Arunachalees could take a cue from the people of N/Zealand as to how they have been living in harmony with the nature and keeping their environment clean and healthy. The workshop, sponsored by the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies of India, was highly learning experience, he said.
After passing through different phases of revolution even remaining a British colony, it became a welfare state since 1930s. The country underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy.
Markets for New Zealand”s agricultural exports have diversified greatly since the 1970s, with once-dominant exports of wool being overtaken by dairy products, meat, and recently wine.
The country”s culture has also been broadened by globalisation while its diverse landscape provides many opportunities for outdoor pursuits and has provided the backdrop for a number of big budget movies. New Zealand is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Commonwealth of Nations, Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations, Kena added. (ANI)