(Morung File Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 2
Nagaland Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla today said that Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has drafted the Nagaland Agar Policy, which will be soon submitted for notification.
This policy will not only streamline the management and regulation of agar sector but also provide livelihood options to the people of the state, Bhalla said while addressing the 8th session of 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) in Kohima on March 2.
He said that Nagaland state is endowed with abundant and rich flora and fauna. To enhance the forest cover in the State, the department has carried out plantations and protection works in an area of over 440 sq. km under the Nagaland Forest Management Project.
To harness the strong community conservation movement in the State, the Department has also notified nearly 200 Community Reserves, which are Protected Areas on private lands.
This has led to a significant increase in the Protected Area network of the state, Governor said.
He said that the Department of Rural Development under PMAY-G, has been able to ensure completion of more than 36,000 houses in the State.
Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), 510 rural youth have been trained and 412 placed in reputed companies within and outside the country during the current financial year.
Further, 550 rural youth have been trained at Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) for the current financial year. Under MGNREGS, for the current financial year, more than 105 lakh person days have been achieved and employment has been provided to over 2.7 lakh households.
The Department of Underdeveloped Areas (DUDA) remains committed to development of infrastructure, education, healthcare and enhancing economic opportunities for the people in the underdeveloped regions of the State. DUDA is actively involved in elevating the livelihood of farmers and Minor Forest Produce gatherers and under the scheme of Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDVY) and development of value chain for Minor Forest Produce under TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India; 180 SHGs under 38 VDVKs (Van Dhan Vikas Kendras) have been formed benefitting 11,400 households. Under the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East (PM-DeVINE), DUDA is currently implementing 22 livelihood projects across Eastern Nagaland.
A significant initiative of DUDA has also been the construction of the Konyak Heritage Complex in Mon District, supported by the North East Council (NEC) where the International Hornbill Festival-Mon Edition, was successfully organized from December 8 to 10, 2025.
