After years of disagreement over who has the authority to regulate petroleum and natural gas in Nagaland, the State Government is now in advanced discussions with the Centre to work out a Nagaland-specific regulatory framework, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said.
Speaking during his Independence Day address on Saturday, Rio said the proposed framework would be formulated in conformity with Nagaland’s special constitutional provisions under Article 371A.
The announcement comes months after the Gauhati High Court closed a suo motu PIL concerning Nagaland’s 2012 petroleum and natural gas regulations without deciding their constitutional validity.
The court held that the underlying dispute between the Union and Nagaland over legislative competence falls within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
It also follows the June 11 tripartite agreement between the Centre, Assam and NagalandAMP concerning mineral oil resources in the Disputed Area Belt along the Nagaland-Assam border.
The Chief Minister, however, did not give details of what the proposed Nagaland-specific regulatory framework would contain or when it is expected to be finalised.
The move is significant against the backdrop of the long-running debate over Nagaland’s constitutional rights concerning land and its resources under Article 371A.
For now, the State and Centre are working towards a framework that could shape how mineral oil resources are regulated and developed in Nagaland.
The announcement comes months after the Gauhati High Court closed a suo motu PIL concerning Nagaland’s 2012 petroleum and natural gas regulations without deciding their constitutional validity. The court held that the underlying dispute over the legislative powers of the State and the Centre falls within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
It also follows the June 11 tripartite agreement between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland to facilitate mineral-oil operations in the Assam-Nagaland boundary areas.
The Chief Minister, however, did not give details of what the proposed Nagaland-specific regulatory framework would contain or when it is expected to be finalised.
The move is significant as Nagaland’s special constitutional provisions under Article 371A have long been central to questions surrounding the ownership and use of the State’s land and resources.
For now, the State and Centre are working towards a framework that would determine how mineral oil resources can be regulated and developed in Nagaland.