Satoi Range bodies appeal for tax exemption on development projects

DIMAPUR: Satoi Range GBs’ Association (SRGBA), Satoi Range Students’ Union (SRSU), Satoi Range Sumi Totimi Loka (SRSTL), along with collective stakeholders of Satoi Range, have jointly appealed to all Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) to grant total exemption from taxation on the Zhekiye Satoi Road construction project and all ongoing development funds and infrastructural projects within the Satoi jurisdiction.
In a joint statement SRGBA president, H. Hokato Zhimo, SRSU president, Hinovi T. Achumi and SRSTL president, Katoli Sema, stated that Satoi Range, located in the remote eastern corner of Zunheboto district, has remained historically isolated due to difficult terrain and decades of neglect, leaving the region behind in basic infrastructure and essential services. Despite its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, the people have endured prolonged hardship owing to poor road connectivity, inadequate healthcare, and limited educational institutions.
The commencement of the Zhekiye Satoi Road project and other initiatives has brought renewed hope, but stakeholders stressed that every rupee allocated for development was vital.
Any deduction from sanctioned funds, they cautioned, would directly affect the pace, quality, and scope of development.
The joint release urged NNPGs and stakeholders to keep development funds completely free from taxation and financial deductions, ensuring maximum resources reach the intended projects and communities. It also appealed for the road construction and other works to proceed peacefully and without disruption.
At the same time, the stakeholders placed responsibility on contractors, executing agencies, and government departments to strictly adhere to approved designs, specifications, and quality standards. They warned that compromise in quality, delays, or deviations would not be tolerated.
The release further called upon the Government of Nagaland, district administration, and law enforcement authorities to ensure a safe and secure environment for uninterrupted execution of these vital projects.
The three organisations, further emphasised that the people of Satoi have waited for decades for meaningful connectivity and development, and this opportunity must not be compromised.