Kohima, September 2: The Nagaland government presented the revised Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill, 2026, on Tuesday. This bill proposes the establishment of a regional authority comprising 62 members with legislative, executive, administrative, and financial powers over 46 subjects in six districts of Eastern Nagaland.
Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton introduced the bill during the ongoing ninth session of the 14th Nagaland Assembly. The previous FNTA bill was withdrawn by Speaker Sharingain Longkumer after being passed during the budget session on March 26. The revised bill will be discussed and voted on September 3. The Speaker urged members to submit any amendments or clarifications by 2 PM on Wednesday.
The proposed FNTA will include the districts of Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator. It is based on a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5, 2026, between the central government, the Nagaland government, and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO).
The bill proposes 40 members directly elected from single-member regional constituencies, with one-third of the seats reserved for women. Two members will be nominated by the Governor from recognized tribes that are underrepresented, while 20 legislators from Nagaland will serve as ex-officio members without voting rights.
The FNTA will have a five-year term and include an executive council of up to nine members, led by a Chief Executive Member (CEM), along with a Deputy CEM and other members. Before the elected authority is formed, the government may establish an interim council of up to 13 members, as recommended by the ENPO in consultation with tribal councils. Four elected representatives from the region may also be appointed as advisors.
The first schedule lists the 46 subjects assigned to the FNTA, including agriculture, tribal art and culture, irrigation, fisheries, health services up to the primary health center level, secondary education, horticulture, labor and employment, land records and revenue, renewable energy, public transport, district roads, rural development, social welfare, tourism, village guards, animal husbandry, water resources, sports, handicrafts, trade and commerce, housing, tribal affairs, public health engineering, village traditional courts, food and civil supplies, markets and fairs, urban development, fire services, and bamboo development.
However, several areas will remain under the state government’s jurisdiction. Geology and mining will be entirely under state control, as will tourism projects with state-level potential. Health-related powers will initially be limited to the PHC level. Consideration for higher-level institutions will occur only after assessing the impact of this arrangement.
The FNTA will have the authority to legislate on the assigned subjects, but such laws will require the Governor’s approval before implementation. Existing Nagaland laws will remain in force, and in case of any conflict between FNTA laws and state laws, the state laws will prevail. An IAS officer, preferably of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), will be appointed as the Chief Executive Secretary (CES) of the FNTA, supported by a dedicated secretariat.
Officers assigned to the FNTA will remain members of their respective state cadres and will be subject to state service rules, disciplinary control, and transfer policies. Financially, the FNTA will receive annual allocations for administrative and developmental activities. Development costs for Eastern Nagaland will be distributed based on population and area ratios after deducting general expenses.
The state budget will include a separate sub-head for the FNTA, and funds allocated for development projects will undergo a CAG audit. Audit reports and actions taken will be presented to the state assembly. The state government will maintain a significant role in police administration. An IPS officer of IG rank will oversee police administration across the FNTA from the headquarters, with measures proposed to strengthen border administration and modernize village guards. The bill states that provisions of Article 371(A), the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, and exemptions from Panchayati Raj will remain applicable without any changes or reductions.
The central government may provide a Special Development Grant for the region, under which the FNTA will collaborate with the state government to identify projects. Proposed projects include an additional campus for Nagaland University, upgrading Mon Medical College to a regional institute, educational and technical institutes, four-lane inter-district roads, Eastern Frontier Railway, an airport/airstrip, Trans-Eastern Frontier Highway, and an International Trade Center.
A Joint Monitoring Committee comprising representatives from the Home Ministry, Nagaland government, FNTA, and ENPO will periodically review the implementation of the MoA signed on February 5. The bill also grants the Governor the authority to suspend or dissolve the FNTA under certain conditions based on the state government’s recommendation, with the possibility of appointing an administrator for a maximum of six months. The FNTA’s framework will be reviewed after ten years to assess its effectiveness in meeting the expectations of the people of Frontier Nagaland.
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