NEW DELHI: In a major milestone in the Northeast’s journey towards peace and development, the Central government, the Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) signed a tripartite agreement on Thursday. The agreement marks the beginning of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).
The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home minister Amit Shah and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. ENPO comprises eight recognised Naga tribes from six eastern districts of Nagaland: Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, and Shamator. The agreement gives the FNTA administrative control over 46 subjects, thereby giving the region more autonomy.
In his address at the signing ceremony, Amit Shah said that the agreement is a major milestone in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of a peaceful, dispute-free, and developed Northeast. He said that the region has been plagued by insurgency, violence, and disputes, but the federal government has been making concerted efforts to change the course of history. Since 2019, he said, the government has signed 12 major agreements in the Northeast to address pending issues.
Shah assured ENPO that the Centre would actively support the development of Eastern Nagaland, adding that a “fixed annual financial outlay will be determined, and the initial funding for the FNTA will be provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs.” He attributed the success of the negotiations to the dialogue process and the role of the Home ministry as a “bridge between ENPO and the Nagaland Government”.
Expressing gratitude to Rio, Shah said that the agreement would “remove development bottlenecks and ensure justice and dignity for the people of Eastern Nagaland.”
The agreement provides for a “mini-secretariat for the FNTA headed by a senior officer and a development outlay allocated to the region proportionate to its population and geographical area.” It also clarifies that the understanding “does not in any manner impact Article 371(A) of the Constitution.”