Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio highlighted several key initiatives and developments across various sectors in his address during 80th Independence Day in Kohima
KOHIMA — Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio highlighted several key initiatives and developments across various sectors in the state including urban development, roads and connectivity, mineral resources, power and policing.
He was speaking on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day at the Secretariat Plaza, Kohima on Saturday.
Nagaki City
Rio informed that Nagaland has received INR 100 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) for the Nagaki City project.
However, he said additional resources would be required to build the city’s basic infrastructure and that the State Government had requested the Centre to consider the project under the Incubation of New Cities scheme or through a special financial package.
The State Government has identified 39 sq km in Chathe valley, Chümoukedima district, for establishing Nagaki, a modern incubation city aimed at catalysing economic activity and creating opportunities for the State’s young population.
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The master plan for Nagaki City was submitted to the Centre for funding under the Incubation of New Cities scheme of the 15th Finance Commission during 2023.
An area of 330 hectares within the proposed city has already been earmarked for immediate activation, and detailed planning for the city and land acquisition have also been completed.
Rio said that a high-level Governing Council under his chairmanship, and comprising the deputy chief ministers, ministers, advisors, and the chief secretary, has been constituted to provide vision and policy direction for Nagaki City.
He further said the Centre had conveyed that a new Greenfield AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) could be considered provided the State Government makes sufficient land available for its establishment.
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Accordingly, the Health and Family Welfare Department has submitted a proposal to the Union Health Ministry for an AIIMS on 200 acres of land at the proposed Nagaki City, he added.
Roads, communication and connectivity
Rio informed that several key projects have been undertaken by PWD (National Highways) for the development and upgrading of National Highways in the State.
These include the widening of the existing single-lane road to a two-lane highway from Unger to Tuli on NH-02, covering 35 km at a cost of INR 161.70 crore; widening of the existing single-lane road to a two-lane highway from Longsa to New Wokha village on NH-02, covering 10.44 km at a cost of INR 65 crore; and widening of the existing single-lane road to an intermediate lane from Mokokchung (Chuchuyimpang village) to Chare Town, covering 23.06 km across Mokokchung and Tuensang districts, at a cost of INR 115.10 crore.
Construction of the four-lane Dimapur bypass road by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has also been completed and the project is awaiting inauguration.
The State Government is earnestly undertaking restoration works to restore road connectivity following the heavy monsoon, which disrupted several roads and highways across various districts this year, said the CM.
PWD (Roads and Bridges) has completed 132.50 km of roads and six modular steel bridges under various State and Central Government schemes and has maintained 10,315.90 km of roads under its jurisdiction.
The State Government is also actively pursuing the development of four short landing strips at strategic locations—Mokokchung, Mon, Tuensang and Ciethu, he said, adding that the facilities are intended to accommodate smaller aircraft operating from basic landing grounds.
He went on to inform that the Ciethu airport in Kohima could eventually be expanded and developed into a full-fledged airport capable of handling larger aircraft. Multidisciplinary teams deployed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have completed the preliminary technical assessment of the project, he added.
Inland waterways
On inland waterways, Rio said a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey of the Tizu-Zungki National Waterway has been proposed for a more detailed and comprehensive assessment.
He further informed that development of three water bodies—the Doyang Water Reservoir, Noune Lake and Shilloi Lake—for promoting tourism and water sports is underway, with the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) in the final stages of preparation.
Through a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Finance Department, Tata Company and Nagaland State Transport, 43 buses have been taken up under a deferred payment mechanism.
Mineral oil resources
The State Government is holding further consultations for early operationalisation of the MoU signed between the governments of India, Nagaland and Assam on June 11, 2026, for exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) and equal sharing of the proceeds, Rio informed.
Another major milestone concerning the State’s mineral oil resources was the adjudication of the suo motu PIL by the Gauhati High Court, which has paved the way for exploration and production activities across the State.
The Government of Nagaland is now at an advanced stage of discussions with the Government of India on developing a Nagaland-specific regulatory framework in conformity with the State’s special constitutional provisions under Article 371A, he informed.
Power sector
On the power front, the CM said the state is constructing a new 220/132/33 kV substation at Tsitrongse (Diezephe) to ease load congestion of the existing substation at Nagarjan.
Funded under PM-DevINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North Eastern Region), the project is nearing completion and is expected to significantly improve power stability in Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Niuland and Peren districts.
The Optical Ground Wire project, funded by the Ministry of Power to establish fast and reliable communication links between various extra-high-voltage (EHV) substations and generating stations and the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), is also underway, he informed.
The Nagaland Solar Mission, in conjunction with the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, has installed rooftop solar systems with a cumulative installed capacity of 1.32 MW.
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The department has also installed more than 57,300 smart meters, which, Rio said, would help the State achieve its revenue target of INR 400 crore during 2026-27.
Police modernisation
Rio said that more than 407 drug-related offences have been registered across the State, with 677 accused persons arrested between January 2024 and May 2026.
He added that Nagaland Police will see a significant boost to mobility with the acquisition of 550 new vehicles through Police Modernization assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.