Kohima | The Nagaland government has stepped up efforts to operationalise the proposed Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), with the state Cabinet deciding to convene a special session of the Assembly to enact legislation for the new body while seeking the Centre’s approval to grant it legislative powers.

The decisions were taken during an emergency Cabinet meeting held on Monday with members of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) and senior government officials amid growing concerns over delays in implementing the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5 by the Government of India, the Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO).

In a significant move, the Cabinet also resolved to request the Centre to double the proposed development package for eastern Nagaland from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, arguing that enhanced financial support would be necessary to address the region’s developmental needs.

According to a statement issued by the Home Department, a high-level delegation led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, along with ENLU members, will travel to New Delhi to seek guidance, approval and support from the Union government on the proposed legislation and the issue of legislative powers for the FNTA.

The developments come at a crucial juncture as the ENPO has announced a public rally and shutdown across eastern Nagaland on July 10 to protest delays in implementing the agreement. The state government has appealed to the organisation to reconsider the proposed agitation, citing ongoing efforts to establish the authority.

The proposed FNTA is envisioned as a special administrative body for eastern Nagaland and forms the centrepiece of efforts to address long-standing demands for greater autonomy and development in the region.

Officials said the legislation under consideration would include provisions allowing the FNTA to exercise legislative authority over subjects and departments transferred to its jurisdiction. However, such powers would be subject to consultation with and approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs and must remain consistent with constitutional provisions.

The government noted that a draft FNTA Bill had already been prepared and introduced during the Budget Session of the Nagaland Assembly. Its passage, however, was deferred after the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the state that constitutional questions concerning the conferral of legislative powers on the authority were still under examination.

Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the state’s constitutional safeguards, the Cabinet stressed that the provisions of Article 371(A) remain inviolable.

“The safeguards under Article 371(A) are sacred and sacrosanct and will not be diluted or altered,” the government stated, seeking to reassure stakeholders that the proposed authority would not affect Nagaland’s special constitutional status.

With pressure mounting from eastern Nagaland groups and the July 10 protest drawing closer, the state government’s outreach to the Centre is expected to play a key role in determining the pace and framework of the FNTA’s implementation.