Scindia launches new health, road and innovation projects in Nagaland

KOHIMA — Five completed projects worth INR 202.98 crore were inaugurated, and foundation stones for 11 new projects worth INR 443.412 crore were laid virtually by Union Minister of Communications and DoNER, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, during a programme held on Friday at Touphema village in Kohima district.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers Y Patton, TR Zeliang, and other ministers were also present.

The projects fall under the NESIDS-OTRI and PM-DevINE schemes for various state departments including Power, School Education, PWD (R&B), Health and Family Welfare, Youth Resources and Sports, and Information Technology & Communication.

Also read: Union Minister Scindia participates in Touphema stone-pulling ritual

The Union Minister inaugurated five completed projects across multiple sectors. These include the 132 kV Sub-Station Upgrade at Nagarjan, Dimapur worth INR 24.46 crore, and the Teachers Training and Examination Centre with residential facilities costing INR 20 crore.

The government also completed the ICT infrastructure upgrade in 190 schools valued at INR 18.95 crore. Road infrastructure saw significant additions with the completion of the Chendang Saddle–Kohima Road (Phase-II, 12.57 km) at a cost of INR 45.59 crore, and the AT Road upgrade from Tssurang to Impur (26.335 km with three bridges) amounting to INR 93.98 crore.

New projects

Scindia also laid the foundation stones for 11 new projects spanning health, sports, innovation, energy, and major road development. These include the Multispeciality Hospital in Chümoukedima under PM-DevINE (INR 58.7 crore) and a 50-bed hospital at Peren headquarters (INR 44.6 crore).

A major boost to sports infrastructure comes with the Kohima Sports Centre at IG Stadium worth INR 72.6 crore.

Other projects include the Nagaland Innovation Hub (INR 19.6 crore), the 11.5 MW Dzuza Small Hydro Project (INR 22.8 crore), and the New DLC Complex at Peren Township costing INR 21.9 crore.

Several key road projects were also launched: the Old Peren–Chalkot Road (16.50 km) worth INR 46.3 crore, Phomching–Longding Road (20.9 km) at INR 58 crore, Thizama–Chiethu Airport Road (18.24 km) at INR 42.6 crore, Khonoma–NH-29 Road via Dzudza River (9.15 km) at INR 26.5 crore, and the Emloi–Ghukey Junction Road (13.70 km) amounting to INR 29.8 crore.

On the occasion, Scindia said that eight high-level task forces have been set up, each chaired by a chief minister with a mandate to draft a composite vision for the Northeast.

“I commit to you today that whatever the visions of the seven chief ministers and the governor of Manipur under these task forces, we will execute all of them under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chairperson of the NEC, and Home Minister Amit Shah,” he said.

He added that under the Modi government, national highways have increased from 9,000 km to 15,000 km, 45,000 km of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana roads have been built, and the number of airports in the Northeast has grown from nine to 17, with over 2,000 air traffic movements per week.

Scindia pointed out that tax devolution to Nagaland has increased from INR 5,505 crore to INR 37,000 crore, while grant-in-aid has almost doubled to INR 65,000 crore.

According to him, the projects launched today are only part of a broader collaborative effort with the chief ministers of the Northeast and the governor of Manipur.

“Together, the nine of us are charting a path for the Ashtalakshmi in the Northeast,” he said.

He added that the Northeast must become India’s entry point to the world: “For too long, the Northeast has been known as the last frontier of India. The prime minister has changed the narrative—the Northeast has now become the first frontier of India.”

Scindia went on to state that he looks forward to returning to Nagaland in a few months with the chief minister to lay the foundation stone of a tourism circuit.

On Nagaland Coffee, he assured that the DoNER Ministry will work with the state to realise its full potential.

Committed to resolving pending projects — Rio

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, speaking during the programme, said that the state government fully trusts the Ministry of DoNER and the government of India in steering the development trajectory of the Northeast, and remains committed to realising a shared vision of balanced and transformational growth.

“To this end, the state government is making concerted efforts to expedite and resolve all pending projects and ensure their timely completion,” he said, adding that monitoring mechanisms have been strengthened, administrative processes streamlined, and coordination with implementing agencies improved.

“These measures are yielding tangible progress, and we remain fully committed to upholding the confidence that the Ministry has placed in us,” he said.

Rio added that today’s event is not merely about launching new projects, but also about celebrating the collective progress achieved under NESIDS-OTRI, NESIDS-Roads, PM-DevINE, and other flagship interventions.

He said that these initiatives have accelerated infrastructure development, improved connectivity, enhanced access to essential services, and created new economic opportunities.

Nagaland, he said, has also witnessed major improvements in roads, bridges, water supply systems, educational and health institutions, digital infrastructure, and livelihood-enhancing facilities.

Highlighting the state’s unique selling proposition, Rio said that Nagaland Coffee has gained national recognition and is expanding globally, with exports to South Africa, the European Union, the Middle East, and other destinations.