DIMAPUR, AUGUST 19 (MExN): Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Nagaland, S Supongmeren Jamir, has urged the Union government to address two key issues concerning financial inclusion and connectivity in the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, Jamir said the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) continues to have very limited presence in Nagaland compared to neighbouring states. While Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have expanded their NABARD initiatives to cover wider areas, Nagaland remains largely uncovered, he said.
Out of the 17 districts in Nagaland, only five are currently covered through the Dimapur regional office with about 15 staff, while four districts are being managed by two Assistant General Managers without any supporting staff. This leaves 12 districts without proper NABARD establishments, Jamir pointed out.
He appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to appoint the required personnel and ensure that all districts of Nagaland are adequately covered under NABARD.
Jamir also reiterated the long-standing demand for extension of the BG Express (Train No. 15665) from Mariani Railway Station in Assam to Tuli Railway Station in Nagaland.
He noted that the Nagaland Legislative Assembly had already adopted a resolution on the matter on April 30, 2025, which was subsequently conveyed by the state Transport Department to the General Manager (Construction), NEF Railway, Maligaon, Guwahati on May 14, 2025.
“This is not a request for a new service but an extension of an existing passenger train on a railway line that has already been constructed but remains unutilised,” Jamir said, while appealing to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take up the demand on priority.
The MP expressed hope that the Centre would address both issues at the earliest in the interest of balanced development and connectivity in Nagaland and the Northeast as a whole.
