Nagaland Assembly introduces bills to amend town planning law, validate investment authority

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly witnessed the introduction of two significant bills on Tuesday, aimed at enhancing urban planning and solidifying the state's investment framework. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio tabled the Nagaland Town and Country Planning (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2025, while Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang presented the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (Validation) Bill, 2025.

Chief Minister Rio, in his address to the assembly, outlined the purpose of the Town and Country Planning amendment, stating that the government seeks to codify an existing ordinance into law. The proposed amendments will introduce two new chapters, focusing on town planning schemes and the development of peri-urban areas.

The town planning scheme, as explained by Rio, involves a collaborative approach where landowners voluntarily pool contiguous plots for comprehensive development. This allows for the creation of well-structured layouts, incorporating essential public amenities such as roads, schools, hospitals, and parks. The bill also addresses the growing need for planned development in peri-urban areas, which are transitional zones between rural and urban landscapes. Rio emphasized the necessity of notifying these areas and formulating master plans to ensure orderly expansion.

Deputy Chief Minister Zeliang's bill focused on validating the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), an agency established through a notification issued on June 25, 2018. Zeliang acknowledged that the original notification was never formally presented to the Nagaland Assembly, leading to concerns regarding IDAN's legal standing. He stated that the validation bill is crucial to address these concerns and to affirm IDAN's role as a legitimate investment promotion agency within the state.

Speaker Sharingain Longkumer announced that both bills will be deliberated and voted upon during the assembly session on Thursday. The passage of these bills is expected to have a significant impact on Nagaland's urban development and investment landscape