Neiphiu Rio

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday presented a Rs 23,183-crore budget for the 2023-24 fiscal, and called for oil exploration along the disputed border with Assam, besides allowing liquor sales in star category hotels. The budget also emphasised on building infrastructure and strengthening the agriculture sector. The government intends to start exploration and extraction of oil in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) once the tripartite MoU with the Centre, Nagaland and Assam is signed, Rio said. We are concerned at the substantial loss in revenues, while Assam continues to exploit the resources in the border areas to our disadvantage, the CM said, adding that the state government will also explore the possibility of introducing the sale of its own lotteries within Nagaland, to begin with. Stressing the need to mobilise more resources to meet its increasing developmental needs, Rio also proposed allowing the sale of liquor to foreigners visiting the state, which, he said, is ...

The State Election Commission of Nagaland on Thursday announced that it will hold polls to 39 Urban Local Bodies (ULB) after almost two decades on May 16 with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women, one of the contentious issues blamed for the situation. The newly formed Nagaland Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during its first meeting on Tuesday had deliberated on the conduct of the ULB elections by May this year with 33 per cent women reservation as directed by the Supreme Court. Subsequently, State Election Commissioner (SEC) T Mhabemo Yanthan announced that the elections to constitute three municipal councils and 36 town councils in the state with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women will be held on May 16. Notifying the election programme, he said filing of nominations will start on April 3 and end on April 10. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on April 12 and 13 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 24. Votes will be counted

Neiphiu Rio, the lone runner to hold the post as Chief Minister of Nagaland has been sworn in as chief minister for the fifth time on Tuesday at a formal function held at the Capital Cultural Hall

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio resigned on Saturday, ahead of the oath-taking on March 7. Rio, a four-time chief minister, submitted his resignation to Governor La Ganesan at the Raj Bhavan. "As my tenure has come to an end, I submitted a letter of resignation as Chief Minister of Nagaland to the Hon'ble Governor, Shri @LaGanesan," he tweeted. Rio's NDPP won 25 seats in the 60-member assembly, while its partner BJP won 12 seats. He is likely to stake to form the new government on Monday, ahead of Tuesday's swearing-in ceremony, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The NDPP-BJP alliance bagged 37 seats in the 60-member Nagaland assembly, securing a straight second term in office in the northeastern state. The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP emerged victorious in 25 and 12 constituencies respectively. None of the other parties reached the double figure with the NCP and the National People's Party (NPP), winning seven and five seats respectively. While the LJP (Ram Vilas), RPI (Athawale) and the NPF equally shared six constituencies, the JD(U) got one seat. Independent candidates bagged four seats. The Congress failed to win any seat in the state and secured a vote share of 3.55 per cent. In the 2018 election, the NDPP-BJP contested the assembly election with a seat-sharing formula of 40:20, which the two parties maintained this time too. The NDPP led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had won 18 seats while the BJP bagged 12. While the NDPP secured a vote share of 32.22 per cent, the saffron party's share of polled vo

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which contested 15 Assembly constituencies this year, also managed to open its account in the state

The Union government has been holding separate talks with the NSCN-IM and the Working Committee of NNPGs since 1997 and 2017 respectively

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday underlined the need for people of the state to change their mindset that Naga women cannot be in decision-making bodies. He was speaking at election rallies of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Khonoma and Kohima. Rio said the party manifesto envisages gender equality and therefore it has fielded two women candidates in Western Angami and Dimapur-III constituencies, giving equal opportunity to women in the highest decision-making body in the state. He said women are equal partners and they should get every opportunity. In all, four women candidates have filed nominations for the February 27 elections. Besides the two NDPP nominees, Congress and the BJP have put up women candidates in Tenning and Atoizu seats respectively. Nagaland is yet to get a women MLA in the 60-member House since its statehood in 1963. Rio said the final solution to the Naga peace talks is yet to be achieved due to disunity among different

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio said that the state govt cannot allow any constitutional crisis in the event of civil societies remaining firm on not participating in the coming state assembly election

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday asserted that 2022 has been a good year for Nagaland, with the National Crime Records Bureau declaring it as the most peaceful state. The year 2022 has been good, and as declared by the NCRB that Nagaland is the most peaceful state in the country, which itself speaks volumes about the state... except for the Naga political issue, which could not be resolved this year, Rio told reporters here. He, however, said the state government and the people of Nagaland have not given up hope for a solution to the vexed issue. I hope the new year of 2023 will also be a peaceful and fruitful year, the chief minister said. Assembly polls are due in the northeastern state early next year. Rio also called upon people to realise that unity among all sections is a must for the purpose of solution and development. If we are united, anything can be resolved, he added.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday said that the state has been lagging behind in all forms of development due to the unresolved Naga political issue. The Nagas must unite and resolve the protracted issue to usher in a new dawn of progress, the chief minister said. For over 70 years, Naga people have suffered and were deprived of development while opportunities were also few owing to the unresolved issue, the chief minister said. No final solution has been achieved till date with the NSCN-IM remaining firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas. The chief minister said that if a solution to the Naga issue arrives at around this time, the state polls may have to be deferred as seats in the Assembly and Parliament have to be increased. The polls to elect 60 members of the Nagaland Assembly are due in the northeastern state by February 2023. However, the chief minister appreciated the recent developments with political talks continuing between th

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday said the demand for a separate state by the people of the eastern part of the state is "not wrong". Eastern Nagaland comprises six districts Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator which are inhabited by seven tribes of Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir and Yimkhiung. Nagas, we speak our mind and it is not wrong for them (Eastern Nagaland people) to say what their thinking and desire is but all these issues will be resolved," Rio said. During a function here, the CM was asked by reporters that Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) has decided not to participate in the ensuing Hornbill Festival and also asked 20 legislators from the region to resign in support of their demand for the separate state. We are talking with them and will give an appointment to ENPO during the union home minister's (proposed) visit to the state. If the prime minister also comes, we will request him to have a talk with .

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday launched a universal health insurance scheme for the people of the state. The Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) will be implemented in convergence with the Ayushman Bharat scheme of the Centre, state minister Neiba Kronu told a press conference. National Health Authority CEO RS Sharma was present virtually at the programme in which the scheme was unveiled. The aim of the scheme is to alleviate financial hardships due to hospitalisation expenses and prevent inaccessibility to healthcare on account of inability to afford it, Kronu said. The scheme has been categorised into CMHIS Employees and Pensioners (EP), and CMHIS (General). State government employees, pensioners, MLAs, ex-MLAs, and staff of state PSUs and other autonomous organisations who are eligible for monthly medical allowance or reimbursement along with their dependent family members will be part of the first category. The sum insured for this category is Rs 20 lakh per

The closed-door meeting was attended by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Rajya Sabha MP Phangnon Konyak, and 16 MLAs who are members of the committee

At the meeting on Saturday near Dimapur, V.S. Atem led the NSCN-IM delegation, while the Core Committee was headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on December 23 to discuss the present situation in Nagaland

A committee will be constituted, which will have to submit its report within 45 days on withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Disturbed Area Act from Nagaland, informed the state government."A committee will be instituted to look into the withdrawal of AFSPA in Nagaland...The Committee will submit its report in 45 days & withdrawal of Disturbed Area and AFSPA from Nagaland will be based on its recommendations," reads the official statement.The decision was taken in a meeting that was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday in New Delhi.The Chief Ministers of Nagaland and Assam-- Neiphiu Rio and Himanta Biswa Sarma-- were present in the meeting along with the leader of Naga People's Front Legislative Party T.R. Zeliang.It was also decided in the meeting that a Court of Enquiry will initiate disciplinary proceedings against the army unit and army personnel in the killing of civilians in the Oting Village of Mon district on December 4, read the ...

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday said for the last 20 years the state govt has been recommending that AFSPA be removed and Nagaland taken off the list of areas declared "disturbed areas"

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio said the December 4 firing by the security forces that left 14 civilians killed was a misuse and abuse of AFSPA

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, on Monday demanded the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the state stating that the law has tarnished the image of the country