Zhaleo Rio inaugurates a new community hall at Khughovi village under the LADP Iconic Project.
Khughovi village gets new community hall under Iconic Project
DIMAPUR — Advisor for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Zhaleo Rio, on Thursday called on the people of Nagaland to cooperate with the ongoing household census by providing accurate information and ensuring that political considerations do not influence the exercise.
Addressing the inauguration of a new community hall at Khughovi village in Niuland district, Zhaleo urged citizens to register only in the places where they are genuinely settled and cautioned against duplicate registrations, warning that such entries are liable to be deleted.
He stressed that a transparent, credible and accurate census is essential for effective planning, equitable distribution of resources and balanced development across the state.
The advisor said inflated and inaccurate figures in the 2011 Census had adversely affected Nagaland's credibility, leading to the state being perceived as one of the poorest-performing in sectors such as education, rural development and healthcare.
He observed that artificially inflated population data had created long-term administrative and developmental challenges, as many of the recorded figures did not reflect the actual population.
Calling for strict adherence to census guidelines, he said the success of the ongoing exercise depends on the active cooperation and honesty of every citizen.
The new community hall, constructed under the Iconic Project of the Local Area Development Programme (LADP) 2025–26, is part of the Nagaland government's initiative to promote localised and need-based development at the grassroots level.
Zhaleo congratulated the village leaders and residents on the successful completion of the project. He commended the quality of the construction, describing the building as exemplary and worthy of appreciation.
Emphasising the importance of unity and cooperation, he urged village leaders to work collectively towards achieving sustainable development.
He also called on leaders at all levels to remain honest, dedicated and committed to public service while refraining from making false promises or unrealistic commitments.
The advisor reaffirmed that he considers himself a leader of all Nagas rather than of any particular tribe and said he remains committed to ensuring inclusive development and the welfare of all communities.
However, he expressed concern that despite the government's efforts to distribute development funds across the state, certain sections of the public continue to create unnecessary obstacles that hinder developmental activities.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Omekali Aye, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Pikuto Kiho.