Morung Express News Dimapur | March 7 A new Civil Aviation Policy for the State of Nagaland, according to officials, is awaiting the government’s approval. The policy was supposed to materialise within six months after the PDA government was formed.  A committee to look into the policy was formed 13 months after the government came to power under the chairmanship of Ramakhrishnan, IAS, Principal Secretary, H&FW and Justice and Law. Kenilo Apon, Secretary, Transport

A badge created by Dimapur based NGO, Sisterhood Network to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020. (Morung Photo)   Naga men on board for advancing gender equality and inclusion    Kanili Kiho Dimapur | March 7 ‘Gender equality is a human fight, not a female fight,’ read a blue colored badge created by Dimapur based NGO, Sisterhood Network to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020.   This year’s theme by the United Nation

Morung Express News Dimapur | March 7  The promise of an insurance scheme for students studying outside Nagaland “within 100 days,” has been converted to an ex-gratia scheme. In October, 2019 the Nagaland Government Ex-Gratia Scheme for Students Studying Outside Nagaland (NGESSO) was announced. As opposed to an insurance policy, this scheme will only cover the death of any ST/Indigenous Inhabitant student from Nagaland. It carries an endowment of Rs 5 lakh to the nomi

Toshirenla Ao and her mother Alila at their home in Dimapur. (Morung Photo)   Kanili Kiho At 16, Toshirenla was not just a beauty queen. She was an artiste, in the truest of sense. An avid social worker from an early age, 4-year old Toshirenla would raise funds for social causes such as raising funds for church buildings, etc, through singing and dancing. A natural athlete, Toshirenla was a champion gymnast with 14 gold medals to her credit during her time

A group of young girls hold placards in support of clean election in Kohima. (Morung File Photo)    Atono Tsükrü Kense Kohima | March 6 “Naga society doesn’t discriminate its women on any ground. Our women have equal privileges as men and enjoy equal opportunities in various spheres unlike other women from other parts of the country.” These are some familiar (mis) perception that Naga people have been romanticizing with, ever since the political imbrogl

Vishü Rita Krocha Kohima | March 3   In the quiet of her home in Forest Colony, which was once covered with green, lush trees, Jentina Yaomei Shangkhu read a story about a young girl called Severn Suzuki who was concerned about the problems going on in her society. What transpired from reading the book was this thought- “If a young girl like her can make a huge difference in another part of the world, why can’t I?” This was two years ago when she resolved to

Morung Express News Dimapur | March 2 Nagaland has the distinction of being the state with highest unemployment rate in the country for persons aged 15 years and above, while concurrently lacking behind in job generation.  This observation can be drawn from a reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha by the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, Santosh Kumar Gangwar on March 2.  Citing the results of the annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

Morung Express News Dimapur | March 1 The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has detected numerous infrastructural deficiencies in Secondary Schools in Nagaland, contravening the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) framework.  The CAG report for the year ending March 31, 2018 stated that a joint inspection of 106 schools revealed deficiencies in infrastructural requirements, as per RMSA framework.   Laboratories not utilised According

Economic participation of women in the rural sector is significantly more compared to their participation in the urban sector. (Morung Photo)     52.3% participation in rural sector compared to 25.9% in urban sector     Our Correspondent Kohima | March 1   Women’s participation in economic activity is more in the rural sector in Nagaland, according to Annual Administrative Report 2019-2020 of Economics & Statistics, Nagaland

Confiscated opium smoking pipes in Mon. Communities in Mon have come together to tackle the menace of drug abuse in the district by adopting new strategies focussed on education, awareness and treatment rather than confrontation and punishment. (Morung File Photo)   Atono Tsükrü Kense  Kohima | February 27 For decades, Mon district has been afflicted with a drug menace, whereby civil organizations have implemented several strategies and measures to control sale,

Morung Express Feature  Becoming one of the most trendy and inspirational musicians to emerge out of North East India, Alobo Naga - artist, composer, songwriter and Director of Musik-A (Alobo Naga School of music) shows how to embrace uniqueness to achieve fulfillment in life.  Alobo showed signs of great showmanship at the tender age of 5, started writing and performing original compositions by age 12 and performed over 500 performances across the world in a span o

Murals, painted by citizens of different Wards in Kohima, are seen in the photos. The initiative is part of Kohima Smart City’s Citizens Engagement. (Morung Photos)   Ketholeno Neihu Kohima | February 24 The Kohima Smart City Development Limited (KSCDL) recently launched a ‘Citizen Perception Survey’ as part of its effort to improve the capital’s performance in the upcoming Ease of Living Index survey.  Kohima was ranked the second most unlivable city

Nagaland Lokayukta offers some hope    Morung Express News  Dimapur | February 23  As of March 31, 2018, there were 29 cases of theft, misappropriation, loss of government material and defalcation in 13 departments in Nagaland involving money amounting to Rs 178.96 crore. Out of this, the government so far has been able to recover just Rs 3.16 crore or 1.77%, of the total money involved, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India�

The RCC T-Beam Girder Bridge over River Dishakapu near ARTC, Dimapur which was reported as completed in January 2018. In this picture taken during a joint verification in July 2018, CAG finds no road attached to the bridge. (Photo: CAG)   Morung Express News Dimapur | February 23 The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has brought to light the case of a bridge construction project between Dimapur and Jalukie which was labeled completed, though not attached t

Includes 14,220 employments under CSS/CPS    Morung Express News  Dimapur | February 22 A total of 1,27,889 employees are under the Nagaland State Government’s payroll, with an addition of 2,634 in the last one year, according to official statements laid at the recently concluded 5th Session of 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA).  There were 1,25,255 employees in 2019-20. However, out of the total increase in employment, 1,719 were appoi

CAG puts PWD (R&B) in spot   Morung Express News Dimapur | February 21  The Nagaland Public Works Department (R&B) made payments of Rs 18.08 crore to contractors of three road projects “without execution of works,” found the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.  In its report for the year ending March 31, 2018, the CAG informed that these payments were made with regard to the Jendang Saddle to Noklak Pangsha road (Phase-II), ro

Feb 21 is International Mother Language Day   Vishü Rita Krocha Kohima | February 20 There are roughly about 6,500 languages in the world, but a language disappears and dies every two weeks. International Mother Language Day is observed every year on February 21 since 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.  This year, the theme for International Mother Language Day is “Indigenous languages matter for development, peace b

Morung Express News Kohima | February 19 The Nagaland Rural Development (RD) Department has come under the scanner of the Comptroller and Auditor Genera (CAG) of India for reportedly making “fraudulent payments” to the tune of Rs 20.89 crore.  This includes “fraudulent payments” of Rs 14.68 crore without execution of works and Rs 6.21 crore payment without receipt of materials. The CAG report for the year 2017-18 detected that technical personnel in charge

Theja Soru walks the ramp at the 15th edition of the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2019-20 in New Delhi. (Photo Courtesy: IANS)   Kanili Kiho Meet fresh faced Theja Soru, the first male Naga Model to score a gig at the recently concluded Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2020.   In a chat with The Morung Express, the 19-year old said it has been well over a year since he joined the modeling industry. However, for the young lad, who hails from Zhadima village in

Brown-capped Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron austeni). (Photo: lonelyshrimp / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons)​​​​   Naga Wren Babbler ‘Near Threatened,’ Dark-rumped Swift and Bird Blyth's Tragopan listed as ‘Vulnerable' in IUCN Red List status   Morung Express News  Dimapur | February 18 Five species of birds from Nagaland are among the 101 species in India categorised under ‘High Conservation Concern,’ according to a report to which o