Nagaland Cabinet reaffirms commitment on frontier territory, announces Commission on reservation policy

Kohima, June 13: The Nagaland State Cabinet, in a key meeting held on Thursday, addressed critical issues including the ongoing dialogue with the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) over the draft proposal for the Frontier Nagaland Territory Authority (FNTA), a review of the State’s reservation policy, and progress on infrastructure developments such as the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) pipeline project.

At a press briefing held at Hotel Japfu in Kohima, Nagaland Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister CL John and Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along conveyed that the Cabinet had thoroughly examined the comments submitted by the ENPO.

The Cabinet reaffirmed its position that the basic principles outlined in the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), which has already been signed, must be strictly upheld in any further discussions. While 12 key points remain unresolved, the government believes these can be addressed through continued negotiation and engagement with stakeholders.

As part of its deliberations, the Cabinet gave ‘in principle’ approval to the formation of a Commission to evaluate the reservation policy in state government employment. This decision follows a memorandum submitted by five tribal groups raising concerns over existing reservations.

The proposed Commission will be composed of five members, including two IAS officers and one representative each from the Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), the Tenyimi People’s Organisation (TPO), and the ENPO.

The Cabinet clarified that the intent behind setting up this Commission is not to arbitrarily increase or decrease existing reservation quotas, but rather to examine the policy thoroughly, fairly, and with historical context. The State leadership underlined that this review is long overdue, having not been properly revisited for several years.

The Chief Minister has also directed that only individuals of high integrity, including academicians and subject matter experts, should be considered for appointment to ensure a transparent and inclusive process. It was further stated that the Commission must function impartially, without any perception of favoritism toward particular communities.

The terms of reference and full composition of the Commission will be made public within a month, according to Minister CL John.

The Cabinet also reviewed a report submitted by the High-Powered Committee on the proposed absorption of 147 Assistant Professors under the Higher Education Department.

Acknowledging the recommendations, the Cabinet instructed the department to re-examine the proposal in line with due administrative procedures and to bring the revised proposal back for Cabinet consideration at a later date.

Additionally, the Cabinet discussed the status of the gas pipeline project being implemented by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL). It was noted that No Objection Certificates (NoCs) have already been issued for 107 kilometers of the planned 140-kilometer stretch, leaving only 33 kilometers pending.

The Cabinet expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress but urged the concerned departments to expedite the remaining approvals and ensure timely completion of the pipeline infrastructure, which is crucial for enhancing energy access in the state.