Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has urged the state’s youth to focus on skill training and take up diverse jobs to contribute to economic development and reduce dependency on outside labor. Rio made these remarks on February 15 while inaugurating four key projects in Mengujuma village, located in the Western Angami region of Kohima district. The newly inaugurated projects include the Mengujuma village gate, a monolith dedicated to the village’s founder, the Village Agri Link Bypass road via Tsiesema, and the Mengujuma Village Council Hall.
Addressing the issue of illegal immigration, Rio highlighted the demand from student bodies for stricter enforcement of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Dimapur district. While the state government has notified its enforcement, Rio explained that challenges stem from Dimapur being declared a tribal belt in 1979. He traced the ILP’s roots to the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act passed during British rule, which restricted the free entry of non-indigenous people into Naga areas—a practice that has continued post-Independence. Rio stressed that Nagaland’s youth must be prepared to take up all forms of employment to reduce reliance on outsiders, emphasizing that locals should fully utilize industrial facilities like the Industrial Infrastructure Development Centre (IIDC) at Kiruphema and the Industrial Growth Centre in Dimapur. “If we continue as a consumer state, we will be left behind in all aspects,” Rio warned, lamenting the lack of local participation in industrial development efforts.
He also underscored the importance of merit-based employment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission and Nagaland Service Selection Board, urging the state’s youth to prepare diligently for competitive exams. Additionally, Rio emphasized the implementation of the Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) initiative to safeguard the rights and identity of Nagaland’s indigenous population.
