Union finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced that the number of villages in Nagaland without any banking touch point had dropped from 1,153 villages earlier to just 15 villages now , calling it “a remarkable milestone”. She said the Centre was committed to ensuring full coverage soon.
Speaking at a press conference at Niathu Resort, Chümoukedima, Sitharaman said her visit focused on assessing progress in Kiphire, an Aspirational District. She described the visit as “satisfying” and said it allowed her to review developments under the Aspirational Districts Programme. Out of 112 such districts across India, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitors their performance through monthly PRAGATI reviews to ensure saturation of key indicators in health, nutrition, education, agriculture and women’s empowerment.
During her visit to Kiphire, Sitharaman supervised a credit outreach programme where banks extended loans for agriculture, personal needs and small businesses.
She said the initiative sought to provide easy access to credit under schemes such as Mudra and Kisan Credit Card without any coercion. The minister also met beneficiaries, including women-led self-help groups and Anganwadi workers, and handed over medical equipment and ambulances to the district hospital as part of CSR contributions.
Highlighting CSR initiatives in Dimapur and Kohima, Sitharaman said Tata Electronics had partnered with NIELIT Kohima to train local youth in semiconductor handling and assembly, opening new employment avenues in a rapidly growing global sector. She added that CYIENT had launched AI-powered training programmes in coding, robotics and smart weaving technologies at NTTC Dimapur.
The minister acknowledged Nagaland’s unique challenges, such as difficult terrain, long travel distances and dispersed talent pools, and said the Centre was committed to supporting equitable development across the State.
On two-wheeler ambulances, she said they were an effective alternative in hard-to-reach areas, adding that local authorities and hospital staff had endorsed their feasibility.
Responding to questions on road infrastructure, particularly NH-29, Sitharaman rejected suggestions that NHIDCL was neglecting Nagaland. She said poor post-monsoon road conditions were common across the country and that strict quality-control norms were uniformly enforced. Contractors failing to meet standards, she added, face blacklisting.
On queries related to post-settlement planning for the Naga peace process, the minister said the matter did not fall under her ministry and declined to comment.
FM virtually inaugurates SASCI-funded projects: Union finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday virtually inaugurated two SASCI-funded projects-a multipurpose hall in Phek and a guest house for administrative officers in Zunheboto-during an event at Niathu Resort, Chümoukedima.
According to a DIPR report, she also reviewed ongoing SASCI projects with chief minister Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief ministers TR Zeliang and Y. Patton, senior officials and other dignitaries.
Sitharaman underscored the importance of the SASCI initiative in strengthening Nagaland’s infrastructure and reaffirmed the Centre’s continued support to the state.