The Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday, September 3, unanimously passed the revised Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the constitution of a special self-governing territorial authority covering six districts of eastern Nagaland.
The passage of the Bill came with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio reiterating the State government’s request to the Centre to enhance the proposed special development grant for the region from Rs 5,000 crore to a minimum of Rs 10,000 crore.
The FNTA will cover Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator districts. The government has maintained that the arrangement is intended to address the region’s longstanding developmental deficits while keeping it within Nagaland and the existing constitutional framework.
The Bill provides for a 62-member FNTA, comprising 40 directly elected members, two Governor-nominated members with voting rights and 20 ex-officio MLAs without voting rights. One-third of the elected seats will be reserved for women.
The Authority will exercise legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers over 46 subjects covering the six districts.
Its executive functions will be carried out by an Executive Council of up to nine members headed by a Chief Executive Member and a Deputy Chief Executive Member.
Opening the discussion, Minister for Housing and Mechanical Engineering P Bashangmongba Chang described the FNTA as a landmark moment for Nagaland and the outcome of a joint effort involving the Government of India, the State government, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) and other stakeholders.
He said the process had been peaceful and expressed hope that the new arrangement would usher in prosperity and development in the ENPO region. Chang also highlighted the strategic geographical position of the region as a vital gateway for the Government of India’s Look East Policy.
Advisor Sethrongkyu said the people of Eastern Nagaland, represented by the ENPO, had pursued their aspiration for more than a decade and a half, culminating in the demand for an FNTA covering the six districts.
He clarified that the FNTA did not represent separation from Nagaland but would remain an integral part of the State.
Advisor S Keoshu Yimchunger described the February 5, 2026 Memorandum of Agreement as the “soul” of the FNTA Bill, saying the arrangement was intended to promote development in the six districts through improvements in roads, schools, healthcare, employment opportunities and infrastructure.
Chief Minister Rio said the FNTA was envisioned as a “unique” self-governing territorial authority to fulfil the social, economic, educational, cultural and linguistic aspirations of the people of Eastern Nagaland while providing democratic and decentralised governance within the State.
He said the State government had worked with the Centre, ENPO and other stakeholders to address the legal and constitutional concerns surrounding the Bill, reiterating that the safeguards under Article 371(A) would remain inviolable.
Rio said the State had sought enhancement of the proposed Rs 5,000-crore special development grant to at least Rs 10,000 crore, citing the scale of developmental requirements in Eastern Nagaland.
Under the proposed financial arrangement, the State government will allocate funds to the FNTA based on population and size, while the Centre will provide requisite funds through Special Development Grants. The FNTA will prepare its own annual plans and formulate development programmes based on grassroots requirements.
The Bill follows the February 5, 2026 Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of India and the ENPO for the constitution of the FNTA within Nagaland.
The developmental and institutional challenges that the new authority will have to address also featured in the Assembly discussion.
Advisor Kekhrielhoulie Yhome said the creation of the FNTA should be viewed as an opportunity to rethink development, governance and resource management in Nagaland. He said the eastern districts had historically faced developmental challenges and stressed that the new arrangement should not merely be treated as a political or administrative exercise.
Yhome called for better management of financial, human and natural resources and cautioned that failure to meet compliance requirements could prevent the State from accessing funds available through various financial mechanisms and schemes. He also stressed the need to ensure that sanctioned funds are fully utilised rather than allowed to lapse.
From the School Education perspective, Yhome called for greater investment in infrastructure and human capital, including healthcare, education, roads and banking, particularly in areas facing developmental deficits.
Other members also stressed the need for the FNTA to translate the political arrangement into tangible development. MLA Nyamnyei Konyak called for cooperation among the Chief Minister, legislators and the people of the ENPO region so that the authority could function effectively.
Advisor P Longon described the FNTA as the birth of a new institutional mechanism, while cautioning that its journey was yet to begin. He called for collective efforts to ensure that the authority becomes effective in addressing the welfare and upliftment of the people of Eastern Nagaland.
Minister for Tourism and Higher Education Temjen Imna Along said the new arrangement should serve as a platform to accelerate development and fulfil the aspirations of the people of Eastern Nagaland, while calling for unity and collective participation.
MLA Sukhato A Sema expressed optimism that the FNTA would promote more equitable distribution of resources, balanced regional development and faster growth in the eastern districts.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton moved an amendment to the Bill. In the preamble, the words “as per the provisions of this Act” appearing after “in order to uphold the autonomy of FNTA” and before “and to provide for democratic” were omitted.
Patton then moved for consideration of the Bill as amended, following which the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority Bill, 2026 was passed unanimously.