Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 15
Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio on Saturday said the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Centre and the governments of Nagaland and Assam has marked a landmark step towards securing the state's rightful share in mineral oil resources in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Nagaland-Assam border.
Speaking at the Independence Day celebrations in Kohima, Rio said Nagaland had remained deprived of its share of the mineral oil resources in the area for several decades.
He said the MoU, signed on June 11, 2026, provides for exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the DAB and equal sharing of the proceeds.
“We are in further consultations to operationalize the executed MoU at an early date,” Rio said.
He also cited the adjudication of a suo motu PIL concerning mineral oil resources by the Gauhati High Court as another major milestone, saying it paves the way for exploration and production activities across the state.
The state government, he said, is now at an advanced stage of discussions with the Centre to evolve a Nagaland-specific regulatory framework in conformity with the state's special constitutional provisions under Article 371A.
Land acquisition for Nagaki City completed
On urban development, Rio said the state government has identified 39 sq km at Chathe Valley in Chümoukedima district for establishing a modern incubation city, Nagaki, aimed at catalysing economic activity and creating opportunities for the state's young population.
He said the master plan was submitted to the Centre in 2023 for consideration of funding under the Incubation of New City scheme of the 15th Finance Commission.
An area of 330 hectares within the proposed Nagaki City has already been earmarked for immediate activation and detailed planning, while land acquisition has been completed, he said.
A high-level Governing Council, chaired by the Chief Minister and comprising the Deputy Chief Ministers, other Ministers and Advisors and the Chief Secretary, has also been constituted.
An amount of Rs 100 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) has been received for the project, Rio said.
Road and air connectivity
On connectivity, the Chief Minister said the PWD (Roads & Bridges) completed 132.50 km of roads and six modular steel bridges under various state and Central government schemes during the last financial year.
He highlighted key projects undertaken by PWD (NH), including widening the existing single-lane road to a two-lane highway from Unger to Tuli on NH-02; widening the road from Longsa to New Wokha Village on NH-02 to two lanes; and widening the road from Mokokchung (Chuchuyimpang Village) to Chare Town to an intermediate lane across Mokokchung and Tuensang districts.
The construction of the four-lane Dimapur bypass road by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has also been completed, he said.
The government is actively pursuing development of four short landing strips at strategic locations in Mokokchung, Mon, Tuensang and Ciethu to boost intra-state air connectivity, Rio said.
He added that work is also underway towards developing inland waterways. A LiDAR survey of the Tizu-Zungki National Waterway has been proposed for a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the waterway corridor.
Development of three water bodies — Doyang Water Reservoir, Noune Lake and Shilloi Lake — for promotion of tourism and water sports is also underway, with detailed project reports in the final stages of preparation.
Public transport, power and water supply
Rio said the signing of a tripartite MoU between the Finance Department, TATA Company and Nagaland State Transport for 43 buses under a deferred payment mechanism was a step towards providing affordable and coordinated passenger bus services in the state.
The Power Department has installed more than 57,300 smart meters, supporting improved billing and revenue collection and contributing towards the state's revenue target of Rs 400 crore for 2026-27, he said.
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), meanwhile, has been making steady progress in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 3,48,048 Functional Household Tap Connections had been provided as of July 1, 2026, Rio said.
Tax revenue records growth
The Chief Minister said the Taxes Department collected Rs 1,597.51 crore during the 2025-26 financial year, registering a growth of 11.95 per cent over the previous financial year.
In GST collections, Nagaland recorded the highest gross GST revenue growth rate among all states in India during 2025-26, at 28 per cent, significantly higher than the all-India average growth rate of 6.4 per cent, he said.
