KOHIMA:The government of Nagaland offered ‘autonomy’ to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO), who were demanding a separate state of ‘Frontier Nagaland’ consisting of four Nagaland districts.
Nagaland Cabinet Secretary Lalthara in a statement issued yesterday said the offer was decided at a meeting of Nagaland cabinet of ministers in Kohima on Saturday. The government decided to officially propose autonomy for the regions demanded by an organization representing the eastern areas of Nagaland.
The cabinet proposed the Centre to form an autonomous council or authority for four eastern districts of Nagaland, in response to the demand of the ENPO.
The Nagaland cabinet also noted a resolution on July 20, passed during a joint meeting of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government legislators and Members of Parliament.
The resolution had decided to recommend for the creation of an autonomous council of the ‘ENPO’ areas– Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire districts– to the government of India for consideration.
Mr Lalthara said, ”The Cabinet therefore proposes the formation of an autonomous council or authority comprising the four eastern districts of Nagaland in view of certain historical background as reflected in the provisions of Article 371-A (2) of the Constitution of India, and the area being comparatively less developed, provided that it is the desire of the people to be expressed in a democratic manner through their constitutionally elected representatives as well as other popularly accepted public organizations or platforms.”
The cabinet secretary said the state government had already constituted a High-Level Official Committee, headed by the chief secretary to study the demand, as well as other points. The Committee had submitted its findings and recommendations to the state government on May 23.These committees had already started their works with a view to finding solutions for redressing the genuine grievances and the special problems which were highlighted by the ENPO in a memorandum as well as the high-level official committee report,” the cabinet secretary stated.
The ENPO had demanded a separate state as stated in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India on November 25, 2010. (UNI)
