The Nagaland Legislative Assembly, in its session on 2 September, discussed several crucial issues including the reimposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) in the state and the status of road development works under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Responding to a starred question from MLA Achumbemo Kikon, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Y. Patton informed the House that the Ministry of Home Affairs had reinstated the PAP requirement in Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram effective 17 December 2024, citing security concerns in border regions. He clarified that no fencing exists along Nagaland’s 215-km border with Myanmar.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, addressing the issue of the Free Movement Regime (FMR), stated the Cabinet’s opposition to both PAP and FMR. He said the government had already communicated its position to the Union Home Minister, and expressed hope that the Centre would consider Nagaland’s demand for exemption.

In response to a question raised by MLA Nuklutoshi, Minister for Roads and Bridges G. Kaito Aye updated the House on Package-3 of PMGSY, revealing that the project has so far achieved 17 per cent physical progress and only 6 per cent financial progress. Initially delayed, the project deadline has now been extended to March 2026 by the Ministry of Rural Development.

Minister Kaito attributed the delays to the non-payment of contractor bills, owing to the Online Management Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS) being non-functional for a full year, from March 2024 to March 2025.