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.
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.
Temjen Imna Along and CL John addressing a press conference
in Kohima. (EM Images)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Also, employer-issued certification, if supported by the
landlord or house owner, will be accepted as valid proof for issuing ILP.
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.
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.
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Memorandum dated Feb. 6, 2020, will be superseded by the updated ILP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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The chief minister was very clear that persons of integrity,
experience, and academic qualification should be appointed to the commission,
he said.
“The commission cannot be facilitating only a few tribes. It
has to represent the aspirations and thought processes of all the tribes,” he
added.
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.
147 and other issues
The Cabinet also took up the matter of the absorption of 147
assistant professors and librarians under the Higher Education Department.
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.
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.
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.
FNT and Naga political issue
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.
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.
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.
On discussions related to the Naga political issue, Along
asserted that the Cabinet remains fully committed to a political resolution.
“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.
