Nagaland Cabinet revamps ILP process

• KOHIMA — In a series of major decisions on Thursday, the Nagaland Cabinet resolved to streamline the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, initiate corrective measures for issuing Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates, and constitute an independent commission to review the state’s reservation policy.
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• The decisions were announced during a press conference addressed by ministers and government spokespersons, Temjen Imna Along and CL John, at Hotel Japfü in Kohima, following a Cabinet meeting at the chief minister’s office earlier in the day.
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• Temjen Imna Along and CL John addressing a press conference in Kohima. (EM Images)

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• CL John, Minister for Environment, Forest, Climate Change and Village Guards, said that the Cabinet was briefed by the Home Department on the current enforcement status of the ILP system in the state.
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• After thorough discussion, the Cabinet decided that ILP implementation in the erstwhile Dimapur area—Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland districts—may be further streamlined, he said.
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• To improve the system, the Cabinet resolved that valid government ID cards would suffice for the dependents of central and state government employees in lieu of a separate ILP. In addition, heads of duly registered public and private companies will be permitted to act as guarantors for their regular employees.
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• It was also decided that the state’s ILP online application portal will now feature additional categories such as lawyers, architects, housewives, unemployed individuals, private bank employees, students, skilled professionals, social workers, tenants, and others to include overlooked applicant profiles.
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• Also, employer-issued certification, if supported by the landlord or house owner, will be accepted as valid proof for issuing ILP.
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• The Cabinet further decided that a suitable work permit will be issued to members of the floating population, conditional on a guarantor being a landlord, homeowner, or an authorised company or firm. Transit passengers will be exempted from ILP requirements altogether.
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• Meanwhile, revenue collected for maintaining the ILP register at the village level will now be shared between the government and the village councils in a 2:1 ratio. Until the introduction of ILP smart cards for Category I and II applicants, offline ILP issuance will be allowed.
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• The Cabinet also informed that the Home Department’s Office Memorandum dated Feb. 6, 2020, will be superseded by the updated ILP notification issued on Sep. 20, 2024. Additionally, the Cabinet approved the draft format for the Temporary Certificate and Application Form for Category I and Category II applicants.
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• Noting that a significant number of Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates have been issued to non-Nagas, the Cabinet has directed the Home Department to conduct a thorough verification exercise.
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• Minister for Tourism and Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along, further explained this issue is not confined to just four tribes but reflects broader challenges in the documentation system, particularly given the socio-political changes Nagaland has undergone since attaining statehood.

Also read: Outdated Census data undermines recruitment process, says Chakhesang Public Organisation

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• On reservation policy
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• A closely watched development from the Cabinet meeting was the decision—in principle—to constitute a five-member independent commission to review the state’s reservation policy in government employment.
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• The commission will include two IAS officers and one representative each from the Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), the Tenyimi, and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO). The government will finalise the terms of reference and membership of the commission within one month.
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• Along clarified that the commission’s role will not be to increase or reduce reservations arbitrarily but to study the existing policy’s performance and propose changes that reflect present-day socio-economic realities.
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• The chief minister was very clear that persons of integrity, experience, and academic qualification should be appointed to the commission, he said.
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• “The commission cannot be facilitating only a few tribes. It has to represent the aspirations and thought processes of all the tribes,” he added.
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• The last review was conducted by a Cabinet Sub-Committee in 2019–2020, which had proposed that the next review be undertaken after the 2021 Census. However, with the Census yet to be conducted and rising pressure from various tribal bodies, including the Five Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy, the government has decided to move ahead with the review, Along said.
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• 147 and other issues
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• The Cabinet also took up the matter of the absorption of 147 assistant professors and librarians under the Higher Education Department.
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• CL John said that the High-Powered Committee had submitted its report on the issue, and the Cabinet has directed the department to re-examine the post-creation proposal following due process before presenting it again.
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• Along acknowledged that post-creation had been revoked earlier due to procedural gaps but assured that the department will take corrective measures and resubmit the necessary proposals to the Cabinet.
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• Also, the Cabinet reviewed the progress of the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) project, which involves laying a gas pipeline through Nagaland. It was informed that No Objection Certificates have been granted for 107 km of the 140 km route, with the remaining 33 km still pending. The Cabinet directed that the remaining clearances be expedited.
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• FNT and Naga political issue
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• According to CL John, the Cabinet reiterated its commitment to adhering to the agreed Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with ENPO. While 12 contentious points remain under discussion, further negotiations are expected.
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• It was also informed that AK Mishra, the Centre’s interlocutor for both the Naga peace talks and ENPO-related matters, held a meeting with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and members of the Cabinet on Thursday afternoon.
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• Along said that during the meeting with Mishra, the chief minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to uphold the core principles of the MoS and to continue further deliberations with the ENPO without deviating from the agreed framework.
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• On discussions related to the Naga political issue, Along asserted that the Cabinet remains fully committed to a political resolution.
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• “The Chief Minister clearly told AK Mishra and his team that the aspiration of the Nagas is to see a settlement as soon as possible so that Nagaland can also be part of the Viksit Bharat 2047 journey,” he added.