Nagaland recommends Centre for spl economic package to resolve ENPO’s Separate Statehood demand

The Nagaland government has recommended to the Government of India for a special economic package to resolve the long-pending demand for separate statehood by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), said Minister K G Kenye.

Speaking to media, Minister K G Kenye said that the ENPO issue is not political in nature, but the state government has identified it as more economic in nature due to shortfalls in various sectors such as infrastructure, education, health, as well as a lower per capita income than the rest of the state.

Stating that if these issues are addressed, there will not be any other problem, Minister Kenye said, “We have to address all those grievances with more concentrated focus on the ENPO areas.”

Talking about the state government’s lack to address the ENPO’s grievances despite huge amounts of funds being pumped in by the Centre for Nagaland since statehood, Minister Kenye opined that the channelization of funds was incorrect or that the funds did not reach the places or for the purpose intended.

To make up for lost time, he stated that the state government has proposed to the Centre an economic package for the ENPO area in order for them to march and speed up to catch up with the rest of the state.

Eastern Nagaland comprises of six districts — Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Longleng and Shamator, which are home to the Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, and Yimkhiung tribes.

The ENPO has been demanding for a separate state of eastern Nagaland.

On the delay of the talks, he said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the ENPO have been involved in talks without the state government for too long… had they involved the state government from the very beginning it could not have taken so much time.

He also said that the state government’s participation in the talks should not be interpreted as interference or an impediment to progress because the state has only recently joined the talks.

He said the state government is happy that the ENPO has approached it for support.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the ball is in everyone’s court regarding the ENPO’s demand.