FNTA Authority Set to Close Development Gaps in Eastern Nagaland, Says CM Rio

Kohima – Speaking at the close of the 9th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio outlined a bold new plan for the state’s lagging eastern region. He said the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), proposed under the FNTA Bill, 2026, will act like a mini‑government focused on the specific needs of six districts that have been left behind for decades.

Rio stressed that the FNTA is not just another bureaucratic layer. It is meant to be a “self‑governing territorial authority” that lets locals shape policies on education, culture, infrastructure and livelihoods – everything from road building to preserving tribal languages.

The six districts – Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator – have struggled with harsh terrain and historical neglect. Rio noted that despite various schemes, the area still lags behind the rest of Nagaland in basic services and economic opportunities.

In a collaborative spirit, the state government has been consulting the central government, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) and other stakeholders to smooth out legal and constitutional hurdles. Rio promised that the protections afforded by Article 371(A) will remain intact, reassuring tribal groups that their special status will not be diluted.

One of the more striking moves, according to Rio, is the request to double the special development grant from the current ₹5,000 crore to at least ₹10,000 crore. He believes that a bigger cash injection is essential to kick‑start roads, schools, hospitals and small‑scale enterprises across the region.

Funding, he explained, will flow from both sides. The state will allocate money to the FNTA based on each district’s population and land area, while the Centre will chip in through Special Development Grants, calibrated to the region’s pressing needs.

Beyond money, the FNTA will be tasked with drafting its own annual plans, drawing directly from grassroots inputs. Rio described this as “a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to equitable development, unity and progress for all sections of the people.” He added that the authority will hand over powers over 46 subjects, giving local leaders real decision‑making clout.

Since 2010, groups like the ENPO have pressed for either a separate Frontier Nagaland Territory or full statehood for the six districts, home to seven tribes – Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam and Yimkhiung. While statehood remains a distant goal, the FNTA is viewed as a pragmatic step toward narrowing the development gap.