NEW DELHI : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, accompanied by several cabinet ministers, left for New Delhi on Tuesday to hold meetings with the Union Home Ministry on a range of key issues concerning the state.

Government spokesperson and minister C L John, who is already in the capital, said the delegation is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah after August 20.

The state cabinet has already submitted a document to the ministry highlighting major concerns, including the ongoing Naga political issue and the demand for a Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).

The proposed FNTA mechanism seeks to grant a certain degree of autonomy to six eastern districts of the state, a core demand in the ongoing tripartite talks with the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation. Minister G Kaito Aye had earlier stated that the cabinet’s visit to Delhi would focus on progress made on this issue.

The delegation is also expected to raise concerns over the Centre’s revised Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the Indo-Myanmar border. In December, the Centre scaled back the FMR from 16 km to 10 km and restricted entry-exit to nine designated points while re-imposing the Protected Area Permit (PAP), which regulates the entry of foreigners into the state.

The Nagaland government has expressed concern that these restrictions will cause hardships for border villagers who traditionally depend on cross-border movement for socio-economic needs.

Other matters on the agenda include the construction of the Foothill Road—also referred to as the Trans-national Highway—stretching from Tizit in Mon district to Khelma in Peren, along with the demand for an airport in Kohima and smaller airports in Mon, Tuensang, and Mokokchung districts.

Upon his return, Chief Minister Rio is expected to convene a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) to brief legislators on the outcomes of the discussions in Delhi.

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