Special Administrative Setup Approved for Eastern Nagaland as Assembly Passes Revised FNTA Bill

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the revised Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill, 2026, establishing a special administrative arrangement designed to bridge long-standing developmental gaps across the state’s six eastern districts—Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator. Passed on the second day of the 14th Assembly’s ninth session following the deferral of an earlier draft in March over jurisdictional concerns, the updated legislation aims to accelerate regional infrastructure, healthcare, education, road networks, and employment opportunities. Participating in the discussion, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio emphasized that the FNTA provides a framework for decentralized, democratic governance to meet the social, economic, cultural, and linguistic aspirations of eastern Nagaland while ensuring that constitutional safeguards under Article 371(A) remain fully protected. To drive this transformation, the state government has requested the Centre to increase the proposed special developmental grant from Rs 5,000 crore to at least Rs 10,000 crore, alongside state funding allocations calculated by population and geographical size. Under the new arrangement, the FNTA will possess the autonomy to formulate its own annual plans and grassroots development programs. Supporting the motion, Housing and Mechanical Engineering Minister P. Bashangmongba Chang commended the collaborative efforts between the Central government, the Nagaland state government, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), and other key stakeholders, marking a historic step toward equitable growth and administrative empowerment in the region.