Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio receives Rashtriya salute during 77th Republic Day 2026 celebration in Kohima on January 26. (Morung Photo)
• Non-settlement hinders development and affects people’s lives
• State govt in ‘full understanding’ with ENPO on FNTA demand
Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 26
Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio on Monday said the state government is “fully committed” to an early solution of the Naga political issue, cautioning that its non-settlement continues to hinder development and impact every aspect of people’s lives.
In his address at the 77th Republic Day celebration at the Civil Secretariat Plaza, Kohima, Dr Rio stated that the issue remains of “paramount importance.”
“While we take pride in all that we have achieved together with everyone's efforts in the past many decades, we remain mindful of the unresolved Naga Political Issue. An issue of paramount importance, its non-settlement continues to impact every aspect of the lives of our people, hindering in no small measure our collective efforts for attaining greater heights and levels of development,” Rio said.
He said the state’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC), consisting of all the Ministers, Advisors, representatives of all the political parties, and the Members of Parliament from the State, have been holding meetings to review and discuss all the major issues relating to Naga Political Issue. “The Committee is going to intensify its efforts as an active facilitator in the process,” the CM added.
Dr Rio appealed to all negotiating parties and stakeholders “to pay heed to the yearning of our people.”
He urged them “not let go of the opportunity that lie before us, and move unitedly together with a spirit of understanding, to arrive at an honourable, acceptable and inclusive solution to the Naga Political Issue without any further delay.”
Touching on the concerns of Eastern Nagaland and the request for creating Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), Dr Rio said that the state government has been continually making efforts for reaching out to every part and region of the state for taking development right to the doorsteps of every citizen.
“We understand, however, that our various initiatives and interventions in the Eastern Nagaland districts of our state may not have been sufficient and these parts continue to remain behind other parts of the state on many developmental indicators,” the Chief Minister said.
Dr Rio said that the state government is fully committed for suitably addressing such disparities and other grievances that may be there among the people of these districts.
“We are moving forward with full understanding with ENPO on its request for creating FNTA for the six districts of Eastern Nagaland,” Dr Rio said.
In this respect, the State Government has communicated its views and comments to the Government of India, he said.
‘Nagaland remains one of the most peaceful states’
For the past many years, Dr Rio said, Nagaland state has remained one of the most peaceful States of the country with good law and order situation and no major security concerns whatsoever.
Dr Rio said that the latest Crime in India 2023 report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) places Nagaland among the safest states in the country with a cognisable crime rate of 84.9 per lakh population, the second lowest in India.
Our Police, the security forces, the entire district administration and all our civil society organization deserve fullest commendation for their commitment and all the efforts that they are continuously taking in the interest of law and order, security and peace, the Chief Minister said.
He said that Nagaland Police has been taking further steps for sustaining the good situation prevailing in the State, and for enhancing its enforcement capabilities it has strengthened its response to new-age crimes by developing a robust cybercrime architecture, actively using national cyber platforms, and intensifying action against financial and online offences.
He said that Nagaland Police has also been carrying a vigorous campaign against narcotics, targeting trafficking networks.
In the past one year, Nagaland Police seized 230 kg of NDPS drugs and around 1 lakh units of synthetic drugs.
A total of 135 NDPS cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 218 persons, reflecting strong action against drug trafficking and protecting communities from drug-related harm, in line with broader security and social objectives, Dr Rio said.
Nagaland, as the 16th State of the Union of India, coming into existence in 1963, has also been ably marching shoulder to shoulder with every other state, in the collective journey for ensuring positive changes in every way in the lives of the people, and for securing for nation an exalted position among the most developed and foremost nations of the world, the Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, Dr Rio challenged each and every individual to rededicate themselves to working with renewed vigour and sincerity towards a more developed, prosperous, and progressive Nagaland.
