Kohima, March 2 (IANS) Nagaland Acting Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Monday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a peaceful settlement of the long-pending Naga Political issue, informing the state Assembly that the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been actively reviewing the matter.

The PAC comprises Ministers, elected representatives of all tribes, representatives of political parties and Members of Parliament from the state, he said.

Delivering his maiden address since assuming office in August 2025 during the 8th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Monday, the Governor said that a Sub-Committee has also been constituted to further streamline its efforts.

Recently, the Chief Minister along with his cabinet colleagues and members of the PAC Sub-Committee met the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah in Delhi requesting the government of India to elevate the ongoing peace dialogue through the appointment of an interlocutor at the political or ministerial level to expedite the talks towards an early and honourable solution, Bhalla said.

The Governor highlighted the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on February 5, 2026 between the Centre, government of Nagaland and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation for the constitution of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) within the state.

He described the agreement as a significant step towards ensuring equitable and inclusive development in Eastern Nagaland.

The state government is currently working towards constituting an Interim Council for FNTA in consultation with stakeholders and will also move for enactment of a special legislation for its formal establishment.

The Governor also informed the house about the upcoming decennial Census of India exercise.

Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, with the House Listing and Housing Census scheduled in Nagaland from July 1 to July 30, 2026, and self-enumeration available from June 16 to June 30, 2026.

Highlighting the importance of human resource development, the Governor stated that the Department of School Education has initiated school transformation measures through Lighthouse School Complexes and teacher training programmes under the Nagaland Education Project – NECTAR to implement the National Education Policy 2020.

The Department of Higher Education is undertaking infrastructure development under the PM-USHA Scheme while the Nagaland Scholarship Nodal Cell has been established to streamline scholarship delivery.

Coaching Centres Guidelines 2025 have also been notified to regulate institutions and safeguard students.

Significant progress in rural infrastructure and water supply was reported under the Jal Jeevan Mission, with more than 3.41 lakh household tap connections provided and several villages declared “Har Ghar Jal”.

Implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) continues to strengthen sanitation sustainability across rural areas.

The Governor also highlighted initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Aadi Adarsh Gram Yojana and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan aimed at accelerating development in tribal areas.

In the agriculture sector, the Government is promoting productivity and sustainable farming practices under the PM-KISAN and the National Mission on Natural Farming.

The Governor also highlighted programmes under the National Livestock Mission, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and sericulture development schemes supporting rural livelihoods and women beneficiaries across several districts.

Environmental conservation efforts include plantation and protection works under the Nagaland Forest Management Project and the notification of nearly 200 Community Reserves to strengthen the state’s protected area network.

A new Nagaland Agar Policy is also being drafted to promote sustainable livelihood opportunities.

The Department of Underdeveloped Areas is implementing livelihood projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (PM-DeVINE), and the department remains committed to development of infrastructure, education, healthcare and enhancing economic opportunities for the people in the underdeveloped regions of the state, Bhalla stated.

Urban development initiatives include infrastructure projects in urban local bodies and the proposed implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban across statutory towns in the state.

Highlighting economic growth initiatives, the Governor stated that Nagaland has made progress in startup promotion and entrepreneurship, generating over 1,500 jobs through registered startups and securing recognition in national rankings including the Export Preparedness Index released by NITI Aayog.

He said that tourism promotion remains a key priority, with the successful hosting of the Hornbill Festival (in December last year) attracting large numbers of visitors and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the state.

The Governor also highlighted disaster management initiatives undertaken by the Nagaland state disaster Management Authority including the establishment of an AI-enabled climate risk analysis system and the launch of a weather alert mobile application.

Reaffirming the state’s vision for long-term development, the Governor stated that Nagaland is aligning its strategies with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, with preparations underway for a comprehensive “Viksit Nagaland @2047” roadmap.

–IANS

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