Nagaland MP slams Centre over neglect of Northeast, demands action on peace accords

Nagaland Lok Sabha MP S. Supongmeren Jamir, on July 26, raised several pressing concerns in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, drawing national attention to the chronic neglect of the North Eastern region in infrastructural and policy development.

In a written submission, Jamir highlighted that despite the North East sharing extensive international borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, and China — and notwithstanding the Union Government’s stated commitment to the "Act East Policy" — the region continues to lag behind the rest of the country across key infrastructure indices. These include road, rail, and air connectivity; electricity; health services; telecommunications and IT infrastructure; and access to quality education, particularly in medical, engineering, and higher education sectors. He stressed that the gap is even more stark in rural areas.

Underscoring his point, he noted that even the defence and paramilitary forces face logistical and connectivity challenges in the region, which hampers their ability to effectively secure the international borders.

Citing a specific example from Nagaland, the MP highlighted the condition of the Longwa International Trade Center along the Indo-Myanmar border. While two-wheelers can easily access the centre from the Myanmarese side, access from the Indian side remains barely possible due to poor road infrastructure.

He further criticised the Union Government’s contradictory approach, claiming that while the "Act East Policy" appears forward-looking on paper, its implementation reflects a defensive and dismissive attitude. Shri Jamir questioned why the Government was quick to label the region as "disturbed" or insurgency-affected, yet has failed to implement the two hard-won peace accords signed with Naga National Groups, which have been pending for years. He also questioned what tangible solutions the Government of India had delivered to the people of Nagaland from these two accords, which were touted as the long-cherished final political settlement for the state, but remain unimplemented despite the passage of several years.

He also raised concerns about the continued imposition of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) across large parts of the region, which, he argued, belies the Government’s rhetoric of peace and progress.

Calling for context-sensitive policymaking, Jamir stressed the urgent need to decentralise the planning process, asserting that only through inclusive and region-specific policy frameworks can the Government’s development vision for the North East succeed.

He concluded by stating that it is high time for the Government of India to move beyond optics and adopt a solution-oriented development approach that addresses the unique realities of the region, rather than indulging in mere posturing or headline-driven slogans.