Nagaland government has not signed MoU on oil and gas exploration, says state Power Minister

The Nagaland government has not signed MoU with any agency or state government on oil and gas exploration or production in the disturbed area belt, said Nagaland Power Minister on May 9. 

The Minister said this while speaking to media persons after a consultative meeting with the civil society organizations at the secretariat conference hall in Kohima on May 9 evening.

The consultative meeting was held with various tribal hohos (bodies) and civil society organizations at the state banquet hall in the chief minister's residential complex to deliberate on oil and gas exploration and production.

Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) and the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978 were also some of the topics which were taken for discussion.

The legislators said the meeting was a success with ‘fruitful discussions’ and added that the government welcomed the constructive opinions and suggestions of the people pertaining to these matters.

Besides this, a discussion on various issues surrounding the early implementation of RIIN was also held.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio delivered the keynote address and the concluding remarks while the opening remarks were given by Deputy Chief Ministers Y Patton and TR Zeliang.

During the meeting, Nagaland’s advocate general KN Balgopal briefed the gathering on urban local bodies, principal secretary (home) Abhijit Sinha on RIIN and the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978 while commissioner and secretary, of geology and mining, Libanthung Lotha spoke on oil and gas exploration and production.

Various representatives from the tribal hours and civil society organizations shared their views and opinions pertaining to these issues.

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