Scindia joins Hornbill festival, unveils ₹645-cr projects under Act East plan
Union minister of communications and DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia is on a three-day visit to Nagaland
Kohima: Union minister of communications and DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Friday took part in a traditional Naga stone-pulling ceremony at Nagaland’s Tuophema village as part of the ongoing Hornbill Festival.
Scindia, who is on a three-day visit to the state, also unveiled a major development package for the state.
The Angami traditional stone pulling is a cultural ritual in which a massive stone is hauled by the menfolk of the community using thick natural vines to commemorate significant events. The stone is typically pulled to a designated place, where it is erected as a monolith to mark milestones or treaties.
Clad in traditional Angami attire for the occasion, Scindia said the tradition is not merely a display of physical strength but a living reminder of how heritage binds communities together.
“Standing here among the people of Tuophema, I felt the deep wisdom of a society that safeguards its roots while embracing progress,” he added.
During the day, Scindia virtually inaugurated completed projects worth over ₹202 crore and also laid foundation stones for new initiatives worth about ₹443 crore, taking total investments to over ₹645 crore.
The completed projects included a ₹24.46-crore 132 kV sub-station upgrade in Dimapur; a teachers’ training and exam centre with residential facilities worth ₹20 crore; Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in 190 schools worth ₹18.95 crore; phase two of the Chendang Saddle–Kohima road (12.57 km) worth ₹45.59 crore; and the Assam–Trunk Road upgrade from Tssurang to Impur (26.335 km) with three bridges worth ₹93.98 crore.
The Union minister also laid foundation stones for 10 new projects in key sectors covering health, sports, innovation, energy, and major road development, including a multispeciality hospital, Kohima Sports Centre, IG Stadium, Nagaland Innovation Hub, Peren Township, Thizama–Chiethu Airport Road, and Khonomo–NH-29 Road via Dzudza River.
Highlighting Prime Minister Modi’s transformative vision for the Northeast, Scindia said the renewed thrust on the Act East Policy has accelerated growth across the region, reshaping its development trajectory and creating unprecedented momentum in infrastructure building — from connectivity and healthcare to innovation and youth development.
He emphasised that Nagaland’s young and aspirational population has the potential to drive not only the state’s progress but also contribute significantly to India’s overall growth story.
He added that several more projects are already in the pipeline and would be advanced in close coordination with chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
