DIMAPUR — Nagaland Cabinet is expected to discuss some important matters, including recently notified Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) Anti-Defection Act, at its meeting on Thursday at the Chief Minister’s office chamber, Kohima.
Besides the ULB Anti-Defection Act under the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, the Cabinet is also expected to discuss about electricity field workers under Personnel and Administrative Reforms; Power Sector Reforms under Power department; implementation of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act under the Excise department; and Nagaland Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 under the Finance department.
It may be mentioned that after the ULB election held on June 26 after 20 years in the state and thereby declaration of result on June 29, the state government had proposed to integrate an anti-defection law into the Nagaland Municipal Act after which the Governor of Nagaland promulgated an ordinance enacting this law.
Accordingly, as per the Nagaland Gazette dated July 15, the governor granted his assent to the ordinance, officially titled ‘The Disqualification on Ground of Defection in Urban Local Bodies Ordinance, 2024.’
Also, in July 2024, the state Minister for Power, KG Kenye, during the conference of regional Power ministers in Guwahati, had advocated for increasing hydropower development and greater flexibility in implementing central schemes for north-eastern states.
He also stressed the long-pending need to boost power generation in Nagaland which has a potential of about 1000MW, while expressing concern over the lack of approvals for such projects despite the state government’s efforts.
He requested the Union Power Minister Manohar Lal to consider developing at least 500MW of hydropower capacity in Nagaland.
Additionally, he requested for funding under the Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening (CBIS) of North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Programme (NERPSIP) to construct a Lineman Training Centre building in Nagaland, which the Union Power Minister reportedly agreed to provide support for the training centre during the conference held on July 9 2024.