Nagaland cabinet to deliberate Centre’s directive on Frontier Nagaland Territory

The Nagaland cabinet is set to hold a high-level meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on the Centre’s directive regarding unresolved issues tied to the proposed creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). 

The move comes after the recent Tripartite High-Level Committee meeting held in New Delhi on July 23, which included the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Nagaland government, and leaders of the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO).

Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton confirmed that the issue is on the cabinet’s agenda. “We have a cabinet meeting tomorrow, and we will discuss the matter there. We shall also discuss with the ENPO leaders tomorrow,” Patton stated during an official event.

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The New Delhi meeting witnessed several contentious issues being raised, though it concluded without a firm consensus. Following the meeting, ENPO released a statement on July 25 reaffirming its long-standing demand for a separate administrative setup for the eastern region of Nagaland.

The Centre has directed the state government to address the pending matters within two weeks. The ENPO, representing eight tribes across six eastern districts—Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator—has been demanding statehood since 2010, citing decades of neglect and underdevelopment.

In April, the organisation temporarily suspended its demand for full-fledged statehood and agreed to explore the creation of a separate administrative region under the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) framework.

The outcome of the upcoming cabinet meeting is likely to shape the next phase of negotiations and policy formulation concerning the ENPO’s demands.