Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio presenting the Nagaland state budget at the 8th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 26. (DIPR Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 26
Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio has incorporated 17 Budget Initiatives in the Nagaland Budget 2026-27 with a total allocation of Rs 62 crore.
Announcing in Nagaland state budget presentation at the 8th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, he said that the Budget Initiatives is targeting at inclusive human capital development, income generation for the youth, women, education, sustainable and resilient economy and efforts to enhance the State’s GSDP and revenue.
A sub-scheme incentivising Gross Value Addition initiatives upto Rs 10 lakhs shall be taken up through the Chief Minister’s Micro Finance Initiative (CMMFI), and logistics support for agro-based products shall be given to ensure the products of the farmers and producers reach the market on time, Dr Rio said.
Recognizing the importance of women-led enterprises in strengthening local economies and acknowledging the daunting challenge faced by women in availing Capital, the Government will operationalize an Innovation Seed Fund for nano women entrepreneurs with an allocation of Rs 2 crore targeting 1000 women across the State.
50 pink scooty taxis service
Further, to introduce economic opportunities for women in the Transportation sector, 50 Pink Scooty Taxis will be introduced in pilot mode across three districts of Nagaland (Mokokchung, Chümoukedima and Kohima).
The candidates will be selected to undergo training under the Nagaland Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Mission (NSEDM) and credit linkage shall be facilitated through the Chief Minister’s Micro Finance Initiative (CMMFI). Opportunities for women drivers will also be given for operating Taxi Services across the State.
For safe and sustained supply of drinking water, Government will launch the Nagaland Strategic Water Resilience Initiative with an allocation of Rs 24 crore.
This initiative will focus to enhance water security through creation of water bodies, strategic water storage, rainwater harvesting integration and urban groundwater recharge in all District Headquarters, in a phased manner.
Dr. Rio announced that he will be launching the Chief Minister’s Community Solar Partnership Initiative under the Nagaland Solar Mission with an allocation of Rs 11 crore.
The initiative is targeted to install 3 kW grid-connected rooftop solar systems in all Village Council buildings across Nagaland. This will reduce our power imports, ensure reliable electricity and generate community revenue.
Green Economy
To further strengthen environmental sustainability, an allocation of Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for Initiatives under the Green Economy, to promote environmentally responsible economic activities and green livelihood opportunities under Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Development (NEPED) and promotion of bamboo charcoal and briquette value chain under Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA).
Besides promoting eco-friendly produces, this will also potentially develop MSMEs in this sector. Dr Rio stated.
With an allocation of Rs 5 crore, the Government will expand the mandate of Nagaland Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Mission (NSEDM) by focusing on entrepreneurship incubation and livelihood generation aligned with emerging economic opportunities within the State and beyond.
Complementing this effort, the Nagaland Apprenticeship and Placement Exchange (NAPEx) will be introduced with an allocation of Rs 50 lakhs to facilitate structured pathways between skill development and employment opportunities for the youth and their placements.
The existing Employment Exchanges will be transformed into an interactive and evolving platform to meet the supply and demand gap of the labour market. The registry will also be dovetailed to the Chief Minister’s Life Insurance Scheme (CMLIS) for life and accidental insurance coverage of the breadwinners.
In order to strengthen administrative capacity and governance outcomes, the allocation of Rs 2 crore provided for the Training of Public Servants and Authorities in the last Budget will continue.
Monetary support to students
The Nagaland Academic Excellence Corpus with an allocation of Rs 1 crore is designed for capacity building and up-skilling of teaching faculty in Higher Education, Technical Education and it is.
To encourage students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Rs 1 crore is allocated for the Chief Minister’s STEM Incentive Programme.
This will provide monetary support to Students enrolled in degree courses in these disciplines in institutes of national repute.
The Nagaland Open Learning Support Scheme, with an allocation of Rs 1 crore, is targeted to support alternative learning pathways and expand educational access to this section of our community.
The Nagaland Community Wellbeing Initiative is allocated Rs 50 lakhs. The programme will promote community engagement, mental wellbeing, and social cohesion across rural and urban areas.
The Nagaland Cleanliness Performance Incentive for Local Bodies, with an allocation of Rs 2 crore, will primarily target to institutionalise behavioural change and social responsibility in the Community, central to achieving sustainable development.
Financial incentives will be given to urban and rural local bodies that demonstrate measurable improvements in sanitation, waste management, and community cleanliness.
Promotion of Naga athletes
In the Sports sector, with an objective to identify and systematically promote Naga athletes to compete in international sporting events, the Government will introduce the Chief Minister’s Sports Advancement Initiative with an allocation of Rs 3 crore.
This is aligned to the State Government’s vision to prepare our athletes to compete in the Summer Olympics 2048, Dr Rio said.
The Government will establish a Revenue and Development Fund Mobilisation Cell within Finance Department, with an allocation of Rs 1 crore, to identify innovative financing mechanisms, strengthen resource mobilisation, and support development financing strategies.
The Integrated Land Revenue Mobilisation Initiative with an allocation of Rs 1 crore, will be introduced to focus on improving land-based revenue systems and modernizing land revenue administration in the State.
To revitalize Nagaland’s business ecosystem, which is the engine of our economic dynamism, the Government will launch the Nagaland Gross Value-Addition Promotion Initiative, a sub-component of the Chief Minister’s Micro-Finance Initiative (CMMFI).
This initiative is targeted to attract, nurture and scale entrepreneurial ventures, thereby boosting Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The initiative will provide robust market linkage facilitation and dedicated incubation support.
Financial incentives up to Rs 10 lakhs will be tied to a tiered performance framework of identified key indicators linked to the “promotion of private enterprise”, ensuring that successful enterprises receive targeted capital assistance aligned with their proven impact and green intervention initiatives.
Enhancing agricultural income
The Chief Minister said that Government will launch the Nagaland Agro-based Produce Logistic Support Scheme with an allocation of Rs 5 crore.
The initiative will support aggregation, transportation, and market linkages for our produce, thereby enhancing agricultural income and reducing post-harvest and post-production losses.
Further, the Government will implement the Nagaland Weavers Advancement and Market Formalisation Initiative with an allocation of Rs 1 crore.
This programme will support traditional artisans by establishing a registry to strengthen market access, product formalisation, facilitate GI tagging and value addition in the traditional textile sector.
Dr. Rio informed that detailed guidelines and incentive structures of all these initiatives will be published in due course of time, signaling the State’s unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, sustainable, growth oriented ecosystem across sectors on its journey to a developed Nagaland @2047.
Allocation for budget initiatives
• Nagaland Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Mission (NSEDM): Rs 5 crore
• CM Community Solar Partnership Initiative under Nagaland Solar Mission: Rs 11 crore
• Training of Public Servants and Authorities: Rs 2 crore
• Nagaland Community Wellbeing Initiative: Rs 50 lakhs
• Nagaland Academic Excellence Corpus Rs 1 crore
• CM Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Incentives: Rs 1 crore
• Nagaland Open Learning Support Scheme: Rs 1 crore
• Innovation Seed Fund for Women Entrepreneurs : Rs. Rs 2 crore
• Nagaland Strategic Water Resilience Initiative: Rs 24 crore
• Nagaland Apprenticeship and Placement Exchange (NAPEx): Rs 50 lakhs
• Nagaland Cleanliness Performance Incentive for Local Bodies: Rs 2 crore
• CM Sports Advancement Initiative: Rs 3 crore
• Revenue & Development Fund Mobilisation Cell: Rs 1 crore
• Initiatives under Green Economy: Rs 1 crore
• Nagaland Agro- based Produce Logistic Support Scheme: Rs 5 crore
• Nagaland Weavers Advancement & Market Formalisation: Rs 1 crore
• Integrated Land Revenue Mobilisation Initiative: Rs 1 crore
