Nagaland has never been short of protests. From public service examinations to road construction, from urban local bodies to government recruitments, agitation seems to be the state’s most effective form of negotiation. The old saying fits perfectly here: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But amid all this noise, one silence stands out. No individual, civil society organization, or public movement in Nagaland has demanded the use of technology for transparency and accountability in governance.
This silence is surprising. Across India, technology is transforming governance by making public data open, traceable, and verifiable. From online portals that display every government tender and expenditure, to e-governance dashboards tracking welfare schemes and development projects, many states have shown that transparency is not a luxury but a basic standard of public service.
Imagine a public dashboard showing district-wise utilization of development funds, accessible to every citizen. Anyone could see how much money was sanctioned, to which department, and for what purpose. Imagine if the state government launched an online portal displaying every road, school, and healthcare project in real time, complete with budget allocations, contractor names, and completion status. Citizens could track progress from their phones, compare districts, and report delays or irregularities directly through the platform. Or online recruitment systems that display every stage of selection in real time — applications received, marks awarded, and final merit lists — leaving no room for manipulation or nepotism.
Nagaland, however, continues to rely on outdated systems where information is locked in files and accountability is diffused in bureaucracy. Citizens protest when wronged, but they rarely demand systems that prevent wrongdoing in the first place.
Nagaland’s protests have long revolved around the symptoms of bad governance, like corruption, nepotism, or delay, but rarely around its cure. It is time to redirect the energy of agitation toward building digital accountability.
A transparent government does not fear public scrutiny; it invites it. The people of Nagaland deserve a governance model where access to information is a right, not a favour, and where efficiency replaces opacity. Until that demand becomes loud enough, the wheel may keep squeaking, and even get greased now and then, but the machinery will never truly change.
