Kohima, March 3 With the customary speech of Governor La Ganesan, the Budget Session of the Nagaland Assembly began here on Monday.
A senior official of the state Assembly secretariat said that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who holds the Finance portfolio would table the state’s annual budget for the year 2025-2026 on March 6 and general discussions on it would be taken up the next day.
The Chief Minister presented the supplementary demand for grants for 2024-25 on Monday.
He would also table the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on the last day of the session on March 8.
Discussion on the governor's speech would start on Tuesday. After a day's recess on Wednesday, the session would resume on March 6.
Other businesses, finalised by the Business Advisory Committee, for the six-day session with a recess on Wednesday include discussions on matters of public importance, laying of annual administrative reports of government departments, and introduction and passing of government Bills.
Like previous sessions, in the Sixth Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the decades-old Naga political issue is likely to be discussed.
It is also expected that issues related to foothill road construction -- a crucial project of the state, delay in completion of various NHIDCL-implemented highway projects are also likely to be taken up.
The session is scheduled to continue until March 8.
Meanwhile, officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the top leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) held a meeting in Dimapur on February 21 and decided to hold fresh formal talks between the government and the dominant Naga group soon.
According to a Nagaland government official, the MHA’s advisor, North East, A.K. Mishra on February 21 held a meeting with NSCN-IM’s General Secretary and chief negotiator Thuingaleng Muivah and discussed various aspects of the Naga political issue.
"Two other senior leaders of the NSCN-IM attended the meeting. Both sides decided to hold formal talks at the earliest to take forward the long-pending Naga political issue,” the official had said on condition of anonymity.
Mishra also held a meeting with the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) in Dimapur on the same day.
The NNPGs, an alliance of seven other Naga groups, have been in talks with the Centre and signed an “Agreed Position” in 2017.
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