Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today inaugurated the Nagaland Police Officers Central Mess and Nagaland Police NGOs’ Mess at the Police Complex in Chümoukedima, calling the newly completed buildings a reflection of the government’s unwavering commitment to the welfare, dignity, and professional well-being of the state police.

Addressing officers and personnel at the inaugural programme, Rio expressed appreciation and pride in the Nagaland Police, stating, “ They reflect our respect and gratitude for the tireless services and sacrifices of the Nagaland Police and uniform services.”

Rio underscored the importance of shared spaces like the Mess complex, saying they should be “a center of unity, discipline, mutual respect, and camaraderie,” providing a mutual space for officials to reflect on and build the kind of team spirit that ultimately strengthens the entire force.

The Chief Minister highlighted that Nagaland has the highest number of police personnel per capita in the country, despite being a small state. “Our state has all the ingredients for a bad name …tagged as a disturbed state under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and our Naga political issue remains unresolved,” he said. He said the new facilities should serve as motivation for the force to become stronger and more effective.

Calling for revival of the sports culture within the force, Rio reminded that in earlier times, the Nagaland Police football team had gained national recognition, even playing at the highest levels including the Santosh Trophy. “With approximately 27,000 to 28,000 personnel including DEF, finding a good team is not difficult,” he said. He urged the department to identify and recruit sportspersons, provide them with training and coaching, and support them as full-time athletes.

He urged them to take it seriously as different forces in the country are winning medals for the country, not only for the battalion, but for the state and bring laurels in the name of the country. “We can do it,” he stressed.

Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio inaugurating the Nagaland Police NGOs Mess

Recalling his earlier tenure as Home Minister, Rio said he had requested his then Chief Minister to allow the raising of Indian Reserve (IR) Battalions. After discussions with the then Union Home Minister, LK Advani, he succeeded in securing approvals and initiated raising India Reserve Battalions and further expansion. “From the 9th battalion to the 15th, seven battalions were raised during my period,” he said.

Rio added that these battalions have served not just Nagaland, but the nation, across various states, earning the Nagaland Police a good rapport.

He lauded the completion of the new buildings with quality control, emphasizing that poor construction becomes a liability instead of an asset. “We have a Quality Control Board in the government, and we want to be more stringent because outsiders also visit these complexes. We should feel proud when we host guests,” he said.

Rio recalled that even late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have stayed at the Chümoukedima Police Complex. He said when Indira Gandhi came, he was a contractor then, and together with his father, they did the blacktopping of the complex.

“…she came and she was also very impressed to see the police complex,” he recounted, adding, “This complex is not only an asset of the police, but also of state,” he stated.

Rio said the new complex should resonate with “stories of brotherhood, courage, shared purpose, and professional pride.” He credited Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton, Director General of Police, Rupin Sharma, engineers, architects, contractors and all others involved in ensuring the project’s timely completion under government funding through the SASCI (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) infrastructure scheme, which provides interest-free loans for 50 years.

Emphasizing the importance of timely utilization of such funds, Rio said, “If you cannot spend this money on time, then the state Government has to face penalty.” He disclosed that last year due to some department’s inability to submit utilization certificates, the government had to pay a penalty of Rs 50 crores.

Stating that the state is facing complex and evolving challenges such as cybercrime, organize crime and the menace of drug trafficking among others, Rio reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to equipping the force with the latest technology, professional trainings and modern infrastructure to make police more effective and more result-oriented.

“Policing is not just a function of authority, but a relationship built on cooperation and mutual respect,” he stated and urged police personnel to uphold professionalism, impartiality, and integrity to inspire public trust.

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He said administration and policing are backbone of the government and added that this is the brain and arm of police and civil service administrators. He also said NCS and NPS are privileged services and that they must maintain that image and spirit.

The Chief Minister also acknowledged the challenges faced by police personnel and their families, particularly in housing and working conditions, and assured that the state would continue to improve welfare measures wherever feasible.

“Privileges come with responsibilities. We should rededicate ourselves to serve with honor and courage. In these troubled times, let us work hard to maintain law and order and gain the trust of the people,” Rio stated.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister, in-charge of Home, Y Patton lauded the occasion as a “momentous milestone,” marking the addition of two modern infrastructure facilities to enhance the welfare and operational efficiency of Nagaland Police personnel. He recalled that the older mess facilities, built in the early 1970s, the condition of the buildings became worsened and rugged.

Patton said that with the support of the State Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and funding from the Central Government, the state received Rs 10.50 crore under Part-I of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2023-24 for these projects.

He disclosed that the newly constructed Officers accommodation has been designed to meet the needs of a modern institution which has been constructed to accommodate 24 Officers and family in the buildings of Officer’s Mess and accommodation for 64 Non-Gazetted Officers in the NGO’s Mess.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah for graciously sanctioning fund under SASCI for police housing. He disclosed that the Central Government had sanctioned Rs 10.50 crore in total for the two projects, Construction of Officer’s Mess and Construction of NGO’s Mess at Police Complex Chumoukedima.

He said the Department is in a position to give accommodation to Police personnel, five SP Office buildings and Police NGO’s Mess and Officer’s Mess with basic amenities.

Referring to the Rhododendron Hall, which hosted the inaugural program and was built in 1990, Patton proposed the construction of a State-of-the-Art Multi-Purpose Facility to replace the aging structure since the building is becoming old and there is no such government facility in Dimapur.

He sought the support and intervention of Chief Minister in making this vision into a reality.

Total project cost of Officer’s Mess is Rs 6 crore while the total project cost of NGOs Mess is Rs 4.5 crores.