Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said shifting the Namsang EAC headquarters to Yonglok will strengthen governance and administrative outreach in border areas of Longleng district.
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DIMAPUR — Acknowledging that nearly two decades were lost after Yonglok was recognised in 2007, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday said the relocation of the Namsang Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) headquarters was aimed at correcting long-standing administrative delays and improving governance in remote and border areas.
Addressing the EAC headquarters relocation ceremony at Yonglok village Community Hall under Longleng district on Monday, Rio said 19 years had been “wasted” since the village’s recognition, adding that the shift from Kongshong to Yonglok marked a necessary course correction. He described Yonglok as a potential future business hub and assured that systematic development plans were being put in place.
In a series of posts on X later in the day, Rio said the decision followed long-standing public representations and was intended to strengthen administrative reach in remote and border villages. He said changing development needs, population distribution and connectivity considerations had prompted renewed deliberations on relocating the EAC headquarters to a more accessible location.
“The establishment of the Namsang EAC marked an important milestone in administrative outreach. However, evolving development needs and connectivity considerations necessitated this relocation,” Rio stated, adding that the move was a step towards better governance and service delivery.
He commended the people of Namsang circle for their active role in shaping the region’s development and expressed hope that the relocation would open new opportunities and improve governance outcomes.
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Referring to the Foothill Road project, the chief minister said civil society organisations needed to engage with the public on land compensation issues, noting that delays were being caused as some villages along the alignment were yet to provide no-objection certificates.
On other development issues, he also noted that Nagaland’s mineral resources remain untapped due to a lack of collaboration. “We're an educated society, let's make Nagaland a vibrant state,” he said.
The programme was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, MLAs Bangtick Phom and Pongshi Phom, and district officials.
Patton said successive state governments had allocated the highest amount of funds for development in border areas. Referring to Wokha district, he said it shared the longest border with Assam and noted that border areas were largely under the control of the Central Reserve Police Force. On village recognition, Patton said low census figures could affect recognition status and asked the superintendent of police, Longleng, to submit details on the feasibility of opening a police station in the area.
MLA Bangtick Phom highlighted the need for a health centre and flagged the poor condition of the road connecting Yonglok to Ladigarh. He also sought increased deployment of Nagaland Police personnel at the outpost and thanked the government for approving an outpost at Shetap. Appealing to villagers, he urged residents to cooperate by contributing land for development projects when required, assuring that compensation would be provided.
Meanwhile, MLA Pongshi Phom requested the chief minister and deputy chief minister to assess development needs in the area and extend necessary support. He also sought recognition for Kongshong village, where the EAC headquarters had earlier been proposed to be located.
Longleng deputy commissioner Manpai Phom said unresolved border issues had continued to affect residents, particularly during elections. He said villagers were often forced to cast their votes outside their designated polling stations, citing Ladigarh polling station under 49 A/C, where voting had reportedly been disrupted repeatedly. He stressed the need for additional administrative and police personnel in the area.