Nagaland seeks IIT, AIIMS and greenfield airport as CM Neiphiu Rio outlines growth roadmap

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on June 11 urged the Centre to support a series of major infrastructure and development projects, including the establishment of an IIT, an AIIMS and a greenfield airport at Ciethu, while presenting the state's growth roadmap at the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi.

Addressing the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat @ 2047”, Rio said sustained central assistance was essential to accelerate Nagaland’s development and unlock its economic potential.

Making a case for greater investment in the state, Rio highlighted Nagaland’s recent achievements in governance and sustainable development. He said the state has emerged as a national leader in Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and pointed out that Mokokchung, Kohima and Dimapur featured among the top-performing districts in the Northeast District SDG Index 2.0.

The chief minister said Nagaland has adopted an SDG-linked budget architecture, a Gender Budget Statement and an Outcome Budgeting Framework to improve transparency, accountability and evidence-based governance.

Women-centric initiatives were a key focus of his presentation. Rio highlighted programmes such as the Innovation Seed Fund for nano women entrepreneurs and the Pink Scooty Taxi scheme, alongside efforts to strengthen water resilience, expand bamboo-based value chains and promote a green economy.

On youth development, he outlined initiatives including the Nagaland Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Mission, the Nagaland Apprenticeship and Placement Exchange, the Chief Minister’s STEM Incentive Programme, the Academic Excellence Corpus and the Open Learning Support Scheme.

Rio also showcased fiscal reforms undertaken by the state government, including the modernisation of land revenue systems, implementation of e-Stamping, rollout of the e-GRAS digital revenue platform and the creation of a Revenue and Development Fund Mobilisation Cell.

Highlighting opportunities in agriculture, he stressed the need for stronger food processing and post-harvest infrastructure. He also pointed to the expansion of coffee cultivation and high-value horticulture crops such as kiwi, persimmon, dragon fruit, avocado and pineapple.

Tourism and culture, he said, remain important drivers of economic growth. Rio noted that the state continues to support tribal festivals through Mini Hornbill Festivals, while the Hornbill Festival has evolved into a significant platform for cultural promotion and livelihood generation.

The chief minister further highlighted initiatives in education, sports, skilling and digital governance, including Lighthouse School Complexes, the Teacher Attendance Monitoring System (Smile App), vocational education programmes, the Centre of Excellence–Industry 4.0 at NTTC Dimapur and AI-focused skill development initiatives.

Expressing confidence in the outcomes of the meeting, Rio said the discussions would strengthen cooperative federalism and contribute to building a stronger, more resilient and developed India.