Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the centre, Nagaland and Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation have signed a deal to set up a Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority to ensure eastern Nagaland’s growth and development.
The initial expenditure for the establishment of the authority and annual budget will be provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shah assured the ENPO during the talks.
Shah who was speaking on the occasion of an agreement signed between the centre, Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO) for creation of Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority in the state, said that that this marks a historic day going ahead in the direction of a dispute-free North- Eastern region.
He added that the agreement is a vital step towards his vision of having a violence free North East. The Minister said that this agreement brings a peaceful closure to a long standing issue.
“Congratulations to all the Eastern Nagaland residents, the ENPO, Nagaland CM, cabinet, as today in the direction of resolving all the issues, we have moved a step ahead, and now there will be no obstacle in the path of development of Eastern Nagaland,” he said.
“This marks a step forward in the direction of having a developed North East,” Shah added.
Shah said during the 2021- 22 assembly elections, he had asked the ENPO representatives to come and meet him, as they had plans to boycott the polls. He had then spoken to them assuring that the PM Modi-led government “believed in finding a solution to every issue”, and had asked them to remain part of the democratic process.
At the current juncture, he expressed satisfaction thatthe long standing issue has been brought to a logical conclusion.
“Earlier, when I had spoken to Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, he had said that all demands of the ENPO will be heard with an open mind, discussed and also be accepted,” Shah said.
“I thank Rio, as Nagaland government and the cabinet and also the two MPs who have brought the negotiation to a logical end, which is a big thing, and apart from one or two issues, all other matters have been addressed,” Shah added.
Shah said that till date, the government has signed 12 peace accords and other important agreements that include the NLFT (SD) peace agreement, Bodo peace accord, Adivasi Peace Accord and the Karbi-Anglong Peace Accord.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also expressed hope and belief that this agreement will address the aspirations of Eastern Nagaland and also the state at large. “I congratulate our brothers and sisters of Eastern Nagaland on this landmark achievement,” Rio said.