Nagaland Chief Minister and Naga People’s Front (NPF) president Dr. Neiphiu Rio has announced that the recently signed Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) agreement will be enacted as a State Act during the upcoming Nagaland Legislative Assembly Budget Session starting March 2. He said the agreement would be passed by the State Assembly and not through Parliament.
Speaking to the media after attending a reception programme organized by the NPF at its Chümoukedima division office, Rio explained that once the Assembly approves the Act, the process of setting up the administrative structure of the FNTA will begin. He said there would be an interim arrangement for one year, during which the salaries and expenses of the authority would be paid by the state government.
The Chief Minister stated that detailed discussions were held earlier with the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) and officials of the Union Home Ministry. According to him, each point of the agreement was discussed carefully, corrections were made as per Cabinet decisions, and only after that was the tripartite agreement finalized. He also informed that the Union Finance Ministry had agreed that funding for the ENPO autonomous arrangement would come from the Union Home Ministry budget, ensuring that Nagaland’s financial share would not be affected.
Rio also clarified matters relating to the appointment of Ajit Lal as North East adviser. He said that earlier A.K. Mishra had been handling the role mainly to deal with law-and-order matters and also to assist in the Naga peace process. He emphasized that the Naga issue is political in nature and should be addressed through dialogue at the political level rather than being treated only as a law-and-order issue.
Responding to questions regarding the Protected Area Permit (PAP), the Chief Minister said that the Centre had not yet given any formal assurance about its removal. However, he confirmed that he had raised the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also discussed it with the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Rio reiterated that the state government wants the PAP system to be lifted and assured that Nagaland is ready to monitor foreign visitors if required.
Earlier, while addressing party leaders and workers, Rio spoke about the importance of unity among the Naga people. He said unity is the greatest strength of the community and thanked people for maintaining solidarity. He also spoke about the recent visit to Delhi, explaining that the Union Home Secretary had called for an urgent meeting with the Home Minister to discuss several important matters, including the ENPO issue. To ensure a unified position, the state Cabinet and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) held meetings quickly before travelling to Delhi.
During the Delhi visit, the delegation met BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Home Secretary, and the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Rio said the state government had raised concerns about Nagaland’s financial situation, especially the possible discontinuation of the Revenue Gap Grant by the 16th Finance Commission. He warned that if the grant is discontinued, the state could lose around Rs. 8,000 to 9,000 crore annually, which may create serious difficulties in paying salaries and maintaining administrative functions. He said both the Union Home Minister and the Finance Minister assured support, which has helped the state move forward with the Budget Session.
On the Naga peace process, Rio said the Political Affairs Committee has been formed to engage with Naga Political Groups. He stressed that the peace process should move forward at the political or ministerial level. He recalled the consultative meeting held on September 12, 2024, where 61 organizations participated and 226 signatories supported a resolution calling for political-level dialogue. He said the Home Ministry has agreed to appoint a Union Minister of State along with an Intelligence Bureau expert to facilitate further talks.
The Chief Minister also noted that certain important issues such as the Naga flag, constitution, and integration are still pending. Other competencies under the Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position also require proper documentation and discussion before final decisions can be taken.
