NLA budget session begins: House taking steps for peaceful resolution of Naga Political Issue – Nagaland governor

The Governor of Nagaland, La Ganesan, stated that the House has collectively taken steps to ensure a peaceful resolution to the Naga Political Issue. Addressing the 6th Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, which commenced on March 3, 2025, at the Assembly Hall in Kohima, he highlighted the government’s efforts in this regard.

He recalled that, as assured on the floor of the House by the Chief Minister, the government held a consultative meeting with apex tribal bodies and civil society organizations on September 12, 2024, to deliberate on the Naga Political Issue.

Further, on 21 November 2024, the Chief Minister, accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, met the union Home minister and apprised him of the people’s desire for an early solution to the Naga Political Issue, the governor said.

Additionally, the government submitted its comments on the third draft of the Memorandum of Settlement regarding the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority to the Ministry of Home Affairs on November 6, 2024. Two rounds of discussions—one in New Delhi and another in Chumoukedima—have already taken place. According to the governor, “substantial progress” has been made, and the government remains hopeful that any remaining concerns of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) will be addressed.

Nagaland Legislative Assembly pays tribute to late leaders and statesmen
On the first day of the Sixth Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 3, 2025, both the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr Neiphiu Rio, and the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sharingain Longkumer, made obituary references to honor notable figures who passed away recently.

Dr Neiphiu Rio paid tribute to the late former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92. Dr Singh, an esteemed statesman and economist, served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014. He was the architect of key economic reforms in the 1990s and the first Sikh to hold the position of Prime Minister.

Speaker Sharingain Longkumer also made obituary references to several former members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Late TA Ngullie, who passed away on October 27, 2024, at the age of 90, was remembered for his decades of political service. Ngullie was a prominent figure in Nagaland’s political history, having served as Deputy Speaker and in various cabinet positions, including Finance, Electricity, and Agriculture.

Late K Zungkum, who died on December 6, 2024, at the age of 92, was another respected member of the Assembly. He served in various government roles, including Minister of State for Fire Relief and Rehabilitation, and later as a Cabinet Minister. He was known for his tireless work for the welfare of his community and the state.

Bendangangshi Ao, a two-time member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, passed away on December 27, 2024. Ao made significant contributions to the Naga community and wrote several important books on Naga history and religion. He was a founding member of the Naga Peoples’ Front and was dedicated to the welfare of his people.

Mavil Khieya, a former MLA, passed away on January 18, 2025. He represented the Southern Angami-1 constituency and held important ministerial positions during his tenure, including Forest, Ecology, Environment & Wildlife Preservation. He was known for his unwavering commitment to democratic principles and public service.

Late Kejong Chang, who passed away on February 20, 2025, at the age of 102, was remembered for his long and distinguished career in both civil service and politics. Chang was the first Christian convert of Hakchang village and played a key role in settling inter-tribal conflicts. He held various political positions, including as a member of the 9th, 10th, and 12th Nagaland Legislative Assemblies, and made significant contributions to the state’s governance.

Governor highlights key achievements in the 6th Session of the 14th NLA

The Governor of Nagaland, in his address at the 6th Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 3, 2025, highlighted the significant achievements of the State Government during the ongoing financial year.

Under the Tribal Affairs Department, there are 3 (three) functional Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) Nagaland at EMRS- Diphupar, EMRS Tuensang and EMRS-Tizit, Mon. 744 students have enrolled for the Academic Year 2024-25. 11 (eleven) new EMRSs are being constructed. The Tribal Affairs Department is implementing 19 (Nineteen) new projects Ministry of Tribal Affairs, amounting to Rs 20.7 cr. Under the Pradhan Mantri Aadi Adarsh Gram Yojana, 530 villages have been selected with each village receiving Rs 20.38 lakh as a gap filling fund for various development projects. 208 villages have been covered and the rest are expected to be covered by 2026.

On Tourism, Art & Culture, YR&S, Employment and Information & Public Relations, the Governor said that the future of our State is dependent as much on the soft power capabilities as on the resource strength and physical and human capital availability in our State, where in the 25th edition of the Hornbill Festival, attracted 2,05,968 attendees, including 2,527 international and 56,217 domestic tourists. The inflows of tourists have a positive impact on the economy of the State providing additional employment opportunities in the State. To enhance the tourist experience, the Government provided training to homestay owners, taxi operators and tour operators. A local taxi-hailing service, Ura Cabs was also launched in the run-up to this edition of the Hornbill Festival. Key achievements of the Tourism Department were the completion of Phase-I Development of the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama. This phase included expansion of the parking lot, construction of toilet blocks, increasing the seating capacity to approximately 7000, among other improvements. The Phase-2 Development of the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama has commenced with plans on upgrading the VIP rostrum and the main stage to international standards. Additionally, under Swadesh 2.0, Eco-tourism Experience at Chumoukedima Viewpoint and Tribal Cultural Experience at Midway Retreat, Chumoukedima has been initiated. The Department is focusing on projecting the State as a Green Destination to achieve the goals enshrined in the Nagaland Tourism Policy 2024. Konyak Heritage Complex at Mon is also nearing completion.

The Department of Art &Culture marked a milestone with the release of the Anglo-Poula (Chakhesang) Dictionary in October. The Subhas Chandra Bose Memorial Indoor Stadium at Phesama and the Artist Dormitory has been successfully completed by the Department. Under Special Assistance to State for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2023- 24, a Children & Adolescence Library and Digital Infrastructure is being implemented by the Department. Till date, 68 libraries have been constructed in various Districts. The 9 (nine) Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under the Department of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, provides training across 16 trades, including 12 engineering and 4 non-engineering disciplines. So far, 11,092 trainees have successfully passed the All India Trade Test.

Under the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) project, a Center of Excellence for Media & Entertainment is being established in collaboration with the Media & Entertainment Skill Council. Mentioning the Department of Information & Public Relations the Governor said that to keep up with the mobile age, the department has developed a user-friendly app, DIPR Nagaland Mobile App compatible with Android phones, which can be downloaded from Google Play Store. Seven (7) well equipped Multi Media Mobile Vehicles to cater to broadcasting of various awareness and educational videos, documentaries etc were flagged-off during this FY.

Considering the importance of films and its impact on our society, the Department has sent representatives from Nagaland to the 29th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, the 55th International Film Festival of India in Goa and the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival.

The Department of Fire & Emergency Services has constructed 15 Rainwater harvesting Reservoirs along with deep bore wells for its utility towards fire prevention and safety in the State, under SASCI covering ten districts. Of these, 3 are in Kohima, 3 in Kiphire, 2 in Peren and one (1) each in Chumoukedima, Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon, Phek, Wokha and Zunheboto Districts.

The Prisons Department completed the construction of a Petrol Pump at District Jail, Dimapur. This is intended to provide employment to jail inmates as part of rehabilitation and reforms on release from imprisonment and will help them earn and lead a better life.

MT