The Governor of Nagaland, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, delivered his maiden address since assuming office in August 2025 during the Eighth Session of the Fourteenth Nagaland Legislative Assembly on 2nd March 2026 at NLA hall, Kohima. In his speech, he highlighted the State Government’s key policy priorities, notable achievements, and major developmental initiatives across various sectors.
In his address, the Governor extended greetings to the Members and expressed confidence that the Session would witness meaningful deliberations on issues of public importance while upholding democratic values. Noting that the present Government will soon complete three years in office, he stated that the Government has continuously endeavoured to fulfill the trust reposed in it by the people of the State and expressed gratitude for the support and cooperation extended by citizens and the Legislature.
Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the peaceful settlement of the Naga Political Issue, the Governor informed the House that the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), comprising Ministers, elected representatives of all tribes, representatives of political parties and Members of Parliament from the State, has been actively reviewing the matter. A Sub-Committee has also been constituted to further streamline its efforts. Recently, the Chief Minister along with Cabinet colleagues and members of the PAC Sub-Committee met the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, requesting the Government of India to elevate the ongoing peace dialogue through the appointment of an interlocutor at the political or ministerial level to expedite the talks towards an early and honourable solution.
The Governor highlighted the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on February 5, 2026 between the Government of Nagaland, the Government of India and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation for the constitution of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) within the State. He described the agreement as a significant step towards ensuring equitable and inclusive development in Eastern Nagaland. The State Government is currently working towards constituting an Interim Council for FNTA in consultation with stakeholders and will also move for enactment of a special legislation for its formal establishment.
The Governor also informed the House about the upcoming decennial Census of India exercise. Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, with the House Listing and Housing Census scheduled in Nagaland from July 1 to July 30, 2026, and self-enumeration available from June 16 to June 30, 2026. He called upon Members and all stakeholders to extend full cooperation for the successful conduct of the exercise.
Highlighting the importance of human resource development, the Governor stated that the Department of School Education has initiated school transformation measures through Lighthouse School Complexes and teacher training programmes under the Nagaland Education Project – NECTAR to implement the National Education Policy 2020. The Department of Higher Education is undertaking infrastructure development under the PM-USHA Scheme while the Nagaland Scholarship Nodal Cell has been established to streamline scholarship delivery. Coaching Centres Guidelines 2025 have also been notified to regulate institutions and safeguard students.
The Governor noted that the State hosted several major sporting events during 2025–26, including the 69th National School Games Taekwondo Championship and the Dr. T. Ao Junior Girls National Football Championship. Athletes from Nagaland also achieved notable success in national competitions including traditional wrestling, Sepaktakraw and archery championships.
Efforts to improve employment opportunities and skill development were also highlighted. The Department of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has notified Employment Exchanges as Special Employment Exchanges under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and is launching the Providing Access to Core Employability Skills programme. The Women Resource Department has also trained women in various vocational skills through Multi Training Centres.
In the health sector, the Governor highlighted the progress of the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, which provides coverage for citizens not covered under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. He noted that the scheme has benefited thousands of individuals with substantial claim payouts. The operationalisation of the Nagaland State Drugs Testing Laboratory and integration with national pharmaco vigilance and materiovigilance networks were also highlighted.
The Governor stated that the Social Welfare Department continues implementing child protection initiatives under Mission Vatsalya and women welfare schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Significant progress in rural infrastructure and water supply was reported under the Jal Jeevan Mission, with more than 3.41 lakh household tap connections provided and several villages declared “Har Ghar Jal”. Implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) continues to strengthen sanitation sustainability across rural areas.
The Governor also highlighted initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Aadi Adarsh Gram Yojana and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan aimed at accelerating development in tribal areas.
In the agriculture sector, the Government is promoting productivity and sustainable farming practices under the PM-KISAN and the National Mission on Natural Farming. Partnerships with national institutions have also been initiated to promote jute cultivation and improve seed distribution under the National Food Security Mission. Horticulture development under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture includes initiatives such as Golden Kiwifruit cultivation.
The Governor also highlighted programmes under the National Livestock Mission, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and sericulture development schemes supporting rural livelihoods and women beneficiaries across several districts.
Environmental conservation efforts include plantation and protection works under the Nagaland Forest Management Project and the notification of nearly 200 Community Reserves to strengthen the State’s protected area network. A new Nagaland Agar Policy is also being drafted to promote sustainable livelihood opportunities.
In rural development, progress was reported under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin, MGNREGA and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana. The Department of Underdeveloped Areas is implementing livelihood projects under the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East (PM-DeVINE), and the department remains committed to development of infrastructure, education, healthcare and enhancing economic opportunities for the people in the underdeveloped regions of the State.
Urban development initiatives include infrastructure projects in urban local bodies and the proposed implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban across statutory towns in the State.
Highlighting economic growth initiatives, the Governor stated that Nagaland has made progress in startup promotion and entrepreneurship, generating over 1,500 jobs through registered startups and securing recognition in national rankings including the Export Preparedness Index released by NITI Aayog. The State has also adopted the Unified Logistics Interface Platform to streamline supply chains. He emphasized the importance of responsibly harnessing the State’s natural resources including petroleum, natural gas and mineral deposits to strengthen revenue generation and create employment opportunities.
The Governor also highlighted initiatives undertaken by the Department of Information & Public Relations to promote the State’s emerging creative ecosystem. The Department has been designated as the Nodal Department for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector in Nagaland, which holds significant potential for cultural promotion, digital innovation and employment generation. He further noted that the Department of Information Technology & Communication is establishing the Nagaland Innovation Hub for IT Startups at Chumoukedima with support under the NESIDS-OTRI scheme of the Ministry of DoNER. In addition, AI Data Labs are being set up in two Industrial Training Institutes in the State under the Future Skills initiative of the India AI Mission to equip students and youth with foundational knowledge in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies.
Tourism promotion remains a key priority, with the successful hosting of the Hornbill Festival attracting large numbers of visitors and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the State.
The Governor also highlighted disaster management initiatives undertaken by the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority including the establishment of an AI-enabled climate risk analysis system and the launch of a weather alert mobile application.
In governance and administration, the government continues to prioritize capacity building of Government employees for effective governance and the Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department in collaboration with the Administrative Training Institute, has initiated intensive training programmes both outside and within the State. Another key initiative of the Department has been the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Capacity Building Commission, Karmayogi Bharat and the State Government which will significantly enhance the capacity-building ecosystem available to the State. The State has also recorded strong revenue performance, with GST collections surpassing national targets during the current financial year.
Reaffirming the State’s vision for long-term development, the Governor stated that Nagaland is aligning its strategies with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, with preparations underway for a comprehensive “Viksit Nagaland @2047” roadmap.
The Governor also commended the efforts of the administration, police, security forces, and civil society organisations in maintaining peace, law and order in the State. Initiatives such as cybercrime monitoring systems and AI-enabled surveillance infrastructure are being implemented to strengthen policing and public safety.
The Governor concluded by expressing confidence that the deliberations during the session would further strengthen collective efforts towards building a peaceful, prosperous and developed Nagaland.
(PRO, Lok Bhavan)
