Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: Public pushback in Nagaland is slowing the installation of smart electricity meters. The Power Department expects to finish the project by February 2027. Civil society groups in various districts are driving the resistance. The department briefed officials at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima on Wednesday about the obstacles facing the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme.
Citizens worry about rising power bills. They prefer paying fixed minimum or average charges and want better service. The department now wants help from district administrations and police to stop project interference. Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen ordered a Cabinet memorandum to address these headaches. He wants a plan involving the police and other agencies. Imchen stated, "Emphasising the importance of maintaining the rule of law, Imchen called on all departments to work together to ensure the effective implementation of government programmes."
Imchen also tightened rules on foreign contact. All departments must now route interactions with foreign diplomats through the Ministry of External Affairs. Official visits require express approval. Individual visits by foreign nationals will face different rules, but official engagements must follow strict protocol. Finally, the Chief Secretary pushed for a statewide cleanup on November 13. He ordered all departments to conduct mass social work from Kohima down to the village level.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 5:45am
Beyond the smart meter clash, the PWD Housing wing proposed building ramps and covered walkways at the Secretariat to help pedestrians during monsoon rains. The project, pegged at Rs 561.23 lakh, would tap into unspent cash from previous employee salary donations rather than the regular budget.
For the November 13 cleanup, officials expect more than just manual labor. District officers must clear construction debris and blockages from roads in Kohima, Dimapur, and Chumoukedima. The state also ordered agencies with heavy equipment to hand over vehicles to Deputy Commissioners for hauling trash. The Commissioner’s office will oversee the work.
The government also moved to tighten how it handles state-level development tracking. The meeting assessed the PRAGATI platform and the eSamiksha tracking system, demanding faster responses and better coordination on stalled projects. Development Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema pushed for a sharper focus on Sustainable Development Goals and Viksit Nagaland 2047 targets.
Comments