Nagaland Chief Minister Demands Accurate Census Participation

Kohima: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio wants Nagaland residents to get serious about Census 2027. He says accurate data is the only way to fix broken planning and resource distribution. Past counts were a mess. Districts once showed impossible growth rates near 100 percent. Then, 2011 numbers swung the other way, showing an inaccurate population decline. These errors crippled state planning. Schools were built and teachers were hired based on fake figures.

Rio told a crowd at the new Kohima Village Council building that the state needs the truth. He urged tribal groups, churches, and village councils to help. He said, "The data collected would determine the future of generations to come."

The state remains committed to the Inner Line Permit regime. Rio says the recent High Court ruling supports Nagaland's authority under the 1873 Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation. He wants locals to vet tenants and laborers closely. He also wants young people trained to replace migrant workers. Meanwhile, the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland continues. Rio insists only native village councils can certify indigenous status.

The Kohima Village Council multipurpose building is now open. The project received 5 crore from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Rio hopes the site serves as a hub for unity. It should host meetings and cultural events for all Nagas. Advisor for School Education Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome noted the village has sacrificed land for the state capital. Many families now lack space for burial plots because of this growth.