Kohima, 4th September, 2026 (Nokinketer News): Advisor for SCERT & Food Processing, Achumbemo Kikon, on Friday expressed concern over delays in implementing government projects, saying they had led to the closure of several projects and the surrender of sanctioned development funds.
During the supplementary discussion in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kikon cited the conversion of a workshop into a bus station, night parking and market complex, where funds sanctioned in 2016 were utilised only after the project commenced in 2020 following delays in obtaining clearances.
Questioning the reasons behind such delays, he asked whether they were caused by bureaucratic red tape, delays in preparing DPRs, or contractors’ failure to execute works on time. He also highlighted instances where funds were surrendered because utilisation certificates were not submitted in time.
Kikon said landowner compensation disputes, frequent landslides and law-and-order issues had delayed several road projects, including the Noklak-Thonoknyu road. He noted that a development project at Government Higher Secondary School, Mayangnokcha, had to be closed after land disputes stalled construction, forcing the State to refund about ₹101.67 lakh to the North Eastern Council (NEC).
Stressing the need for accountability, Kikon said departments, implementing agencies, district authorities and contractors must be held responsible for ensuring timely execution of projects so that public funds are not repeatedly surrendered.
Replying to the discussion, Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang said delays often originated at the departmental level, where administrative approvals and tendering processes were not completed on time even after funds had been sanctioned by agencies such as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the NEC.
He acknowledged that 10 projects had already been foreclosed, with landowner-related issues among the major reasons, and noted that some projects sanctioned as far back as 2012 remained incomplete.
Zeliang urged Ministers and Advisors to closely monitor project implementation and ensure timely administrative approvals and tendering. He warned that delays had pushed the State’s committed liability to around 11 per cent, forcing the government to foreclose certain projects to remain eligible for future Central funding. He said the foreclosure of delayed projects had helped the State secure approval for new projects and stressed that all departments must adhere to prescribed timelines and Central Government guidelines to avoid similar setbacks in future.
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