Now there will be no obstacles in path of Eastern Nagaland’s dev: Amit Shah
New Delhi, Feb 05: In yet another significant milestone towards fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a peaceful and prosperous North East, a historic Agreement was signed between Government of India, Government of Nagaland and representatives of Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), an apex body representing eight recognised Naga tribes of the six eastern districts of Nagaland in New Delhi on Thursday.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah and Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio. The agreement will pave the way for creation of Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) for six districts of Nagaland viz. Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator, and devolution of powers in respect of 46 Subjects to the FNTA.
On this occasion, Union Home Minister said, “Today is a very significant day for a dispute-free North East. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned a North East that is free from insurgency, violence, disputes, and developed. Today, we have taken one more step forward in realizing that vision. Eleven years ago, several armed groups and disputes in the North East were pushing the region towards fragmentation and disturbing its peace. At the same time, many inter-state disputes were disrupting the peace of the states.”
Shah said that the government led by PM Modi is committed to finding solutions to every dispute. He said that since 2019, the Modi government has signed 12 important agreements in the North East. He stated that previous governments only signed agreements, but Modi government implements them in letter and spirit. The Home Minister said that he wants to assure the representatives of ENPO that the Government of India will assist in the development of Eastern Nagaland and also will shoulder its responsibility. Shah added that every year a fixed amount will be decided, and the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India will also provide the initial expenditure for establishment.
Amit Shah said that in 2021-22, he had told the representatives of ENPO that the government led by PM Modi is committed to finding a solution to every dispute. He had assured them to keep faith and participate in the democratic process, and they would definitely receive both fair justice and due respect. The Home Minister said that today he is feeling immense joy because, after the officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs worked for a long time as a bridge between ENPO and the Government of Nagaland, today we have been able to resolve this dispute.
The Home Minister said that we all are very well aware of the ENPO region and its strategic importance. Ever since the creation of Nagaland, the citizens of Eastern Nagaland have continuously felt in their hearts that they were not receiving justice. Shah said that he had spoken with the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, and Rio had very happily stated that he would listen to all the demands of ENPO with an open heart, discuss them, and also accept them. Expressing his gratitude to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the Home Minister said that the Government of Nagaland, Rio’s cabinet colleagues, and both Members of Parliament from the state had, with great magnanimity, taken this negotiation to its logical conclusion.
Amit Shah said that today a very long-standing dispute has reached a happy conclusion. Extending congratulations to all the people of Eastern Nagaland, all the struggling organizations of ENPO, the Chief Minister of Nagaland, his cabinet, and the Members of Parliament, he said that today we have taken one more step forward in the direction of ending all disputes in Nagaland. He stated that now there will be no obstacle in the path of development of Eastern Nagaland. Home Minister said that the agreement reflects our government’s commitment to resolving all contentious issues to fulfill genuine aspirations of the people. He said that both the Government of India and the Government of Nagaland will jointly take forward the development of Eastern Nagaland.
The agreement provides, inter-alia, for mini-Secretariat for FNTA, headed by Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Sharing of development Outlay for the Eastern Nagaland region proportional to population and area. However, this agreement does not affect in any manner whatsoever, the provisions of Article 371(A) of Constitution of India.
This unique arrangement envisages overall development of Eastern Nagaland through financial autonomy, enhanced decision-making leading to accelerated infrastructure development, economic empowerment and optimum resource utilization.
The Agreement depicts the Government of India’s commitment to resolve all contentious issues through dialogue to meet genuine aspirations of the people of North East and proves basic tenet of the democracy that solutions could only be achieve through negotiations based on mutual respect and dialogue instead of violence and armed conflict.
Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland Yanthungo Patton, his cabinet colleagues and other dignitaries, senior officers from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Government of Nagaland were also present.
