FNT benefits must reach all six eastern districts: Minister Kaito Aye

Nagaland's Roads and Bridges Minister G Kaito Aye has said the benefits of the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) arrangement must be shared fairly among all six districts of Eastern Nagaland, without any district being left out or favoured.

Aye was speaking on Saturday at the second session of the Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation (ENWO), held at Konyak Heritage in Mon, according to a report by The Morung Express.

'Packages alone cannot guarantee progress'

The minister said the region has a long history of struggle and has faced serious development gaps. He credited the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) for campaigning for more authority, development and equal opportunity for the region.

On the FNT arrangement, Aye stressed that development funds and schemes should reach every district fairly and without bias. He said Nagaland has not yet reached its full potential, and while people continue to hope for a permanent political solution, political arrangements and development packages by themselves cannot guarantee progress. People, he said, also have to take collective responsibility and make good use of the opportunities in front of them.

He praised the work of ENWO and the Nagaland Mothers' Association on social issues, and urged Eastern Naga women to stay united and take pride in their cultural identity.

Roads and bridges top women's demands

In her welcome address, ENWO president Yingphe Konyak said better road and bridge connectivity is essential for development and access in the region, and called for sustained, collective effort to build a better future for Eastern Nagaland.

The session also included a presentation titled "Women of Courage" and a talk by Dr Anungla Imlong Phom, who urged women to build confidence from within rather than depend on outside recognition. A unity dance closed the programme.

What the FNT is

The Frontier Nagaland Territory covers six districts of Eastern Nagaland: Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator. A Memorandum of Agreement for a Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) was signed on February 5, 2026, by the Centre, the Nagaland government and the ENPO, after years of demands over the region's development deficit.

According to the Nagaland government, the FNTA is meant to be a self-governing regional body within the state. It will prepare its own annual plan, receive state funds based on population and area, and identify projects for special development grants from the Centre. Aye's remarks reflect a concern raised often in the region: that money flowing through the new body should be spread evenly across all six districts.