Nagaland: Centre Likely to Announce Decision on ENPO’s FNTA Demand on February 5

Kohima, February 5: The Union Government is expected to make an announcement on February 5 regarding the long-pending demand of the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) for the creation of a Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), Nagaland Minister for Power and Government Spokesperson KG Kenye said on Wednesday.

KG Keyne

Addressing the media at Hotel Japfü here after a State Cabinet meeting held on February 3 at Rhododendron Hall, Chümoukedima, Kenye said discussions between the ENPO and the Government of India on the FNTA proposal were scheduled in New Delhi on February 4, raising hopes of an announcement the following day.

He informed that a delegation comprising ministers, MLAs and political leaders is already in New Delhi to pursue the matter. “After pursuing this issue for more than a decade, almost one and a half decades, we are keeping our fingers crossed that it will be put to rest in accordance with the wishes of the people,” Kenye said.

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According to Kenye, the Cabinet reviewed several key political, administrative and developmental issues, with particular focus on FNTA, oil and natural gas exploration, landholding reforms, the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the re-imposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP).

To strengthen engagement with the Centre, the Cabinet decided to constitute a sub-committee under the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), convened by the Chief Minister. The sub-committee will include the two Members of Parliament, two Deputy Chief Ministers and select Cabinet ministers, and will take up FNTA-related matters along with issues concerning PAP, FMR and natural resource exploration.

On oil and gas exploration, Kenye said the Cabinet reaffirmed Nagaland’s constitutional rights under Article 371A, which vests ownership of land and its resources with the people of the state. He clarified that the government would proceed with efforts to explore and exploit natural resources with the consent of landowners, asserting that this would not conflict with the Centre’s interests.

The Cabinet also deliberated on landholding regulations and decided that non-cadastral and government-occupied lands without individual pattas would now require proper registration. Organisations and individuals occupying such lands would be required to obtain pattas and pay land revenue, with detailed notifications to be issued soon.

On the forthcoming Assembly session, Kenye said the Business Advisory Committee was yet to meet and was likely to convene later this month, after which details would be announced.