Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Thursday sought financial assistance and support for major infrastructure projects, including the Foothill Road (Trans-Nagaland Highway), Greenfield Airport at Ciethu, establishment of IIT and AIIMS in Nagaland, development of Nagaki City, railway expansion projects, resumption of oil and natural gas exploration, inland waterways development, urban flyovers, promotion of agarwood cultivation and strengthening of power transmission infrastructure.
Rio made this appeal during the 11th Governing Council Meeting at NITI Aayog in New Delhi, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat @ 2047”.
Addressing the meeting, Rio highlighted the state’s growing achievements in sustainable development, governance reforms and human capital development. He noted that Nagaland has made significant progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the state emerging as a national leader in SDG-5 (Gender Equality).
Showcasing Nagaland’s development trajectory, Rio informed the Council that Mokokchung, Kohima and Dimapur districts were ranked among the top ten performers in the Northeast District SDG Index 2.0. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for convening the meeting and reiterated Nagaland’s commitment to contributing towards the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
The Chief Minister highlighted a series of governance reforms introduced by the state government, including an SDG-linked Budget Architecture, Gender Budget Statement and Outcome Budgeting Framework aimed at improving transparency, accountability and evidence-based planning.
On women-led development, Rio pointed to initiatives such as the Innovation Seed Fund for nano women entrepreneurs and the introduction of Pink Scooty Taxis. He also outlined measures under the Nagaland Strategic Water Resilience Initiative, expansion of bamboo-based value chains and programmes promoting a green economy.
Emphasising youth empowerment as a key pillar of development, Rio highlighted flagship initiatives such as the Nagaland Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Mission, Nagaland Apprenticeship and Placement Exchange, Chief Minister’s STEM Incentive Programme, Academic Excellence Corpus and Open Learning Support Scheme.
The Chief Minister further underlined ongoing fiscal reforms, including the modernisation of land revenue systems, implementation of e-Stamping, rollout of the e-GRAS digital revenue platform and the establishment of a Revenue and Development Fund Mobilisation Cell.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
In the agriculture sector, Rio stressed the need to strengthen food processing and post-harvest infrastructure to reduce losses and improve market access for farmers. He also highlighted efforts to expand coffee cultivation through the Cluster-Based Coffee Value Chain Development Programme and promote high-value horticultural crops such as kiwi, persimmon, dragon fruit, avocado and pineapple.
Tourism and culture, he said, continue to play a crucial role in the state’s economy. Rio noted that the government has been supporting tribal festivals through Mini Hornbill Festivals while the annual Hornbill Festival has emerged as a major platform for promoting cultural heritage and generating livelihood opportunities for artisans, weavers, performers, food entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Speaking on the meeting’s theme, “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat @ 2047,” Rio outlined several initiatives in education, skill development, sports and digital governance. These included Lighthouse School Complexes, the Teacher Attendance Monitoring System (Smile App), the Morung Concept of Education, the Nagaland Literacy and Numeracy Framework, vocational education programmes, the Centre of Excellence–Industry 4.0 at NTTC Dimapur and AI-skilling initiatives.
In the sports sector, he highlighted programmes such as the “Catch Them Young, Teach Them Right” tournament, the Nagaland Super League and the development of sports infrastructure across districts.
Rio also showcased the state’s digital governance initiatives, including the Personal Information Management System (PIMS), Nagaland State Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy, Chief Minister’s Micro Finance Initiative Digital Portal, Common Scholarship Portal, Nagaland Spatial Data Infrastructure and the proposed AI Research Centre in Kohima.
Expressing confidence in the outcomes of the Governing Council deliberations, Rio said the discussions would further strengthen cooperative federalism and contribute towards building a stronger, more resilient and developed India while advancing Nagaland’s long-term development aspirations.
