Nagaland govt yet to discuss NCD proposal on lifting NLTP Act, says KG Kenye

The state government is yet to take up the recent proposal made by the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) to revoke the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989, government spokesperson and minister G. Kaito Kenye said Thursday, asserting that no official discussion has been held at any level so far.
Addressing the media, Kenye stated that while the government had earlier attempted to revisit the NLTP Act with the intent of improving the state’s economic and administrative framework, the initiative had faced resistance from various quarters. He said that after observing the public reactions, the government decided to allow the people to shape the future course of the issue, describing it as “a people-centric matter.”
He acknowledged that the Act has remained one of the most debated policies in the state, generating wide-ranging opinions from different walks of life. The government, he said, respects these debates and continues to observe the evolving perspectives expressed through public discussions and media platforms.
Kenye said that although the current debate on the NLTP Act appears to have been reignited by the Naga Council Dimapur’s recent resolution, the government has not yet examined or deliberated on the matter.
He noted that the Dimapur region, being the commercial hub and a border municipality, faces a unique set of challenges that might have influenced local stakeholders to revisit the policy.
He emphasized that the Cabinet will take up the matter only after careful consideration and after gathering comprehensive feedback from all sections of society. The minister urged the media to play a more proactive and balanced role in shaping public understanding of the issue by gathering opinions from across districts and communities.
According to Kenye, the state government remains open to examining the NLTP Act in light of contemporary realities and developments across the North East and the country. However, he reiterated that any final decision will be made based on the collective voice and interest of the people.