A Naga commentator has questioned whether Nagaland is genuinely progressing or has simply become “better at talking about development,” arguing that nearly eight decades after India’s Independence, the state remains held back by crumbling roads, entrenched corruption and limited opportunities for its young people. In a commentary, Lanuakum Longkumer, who identifies himself as being from Ungma village and writes from Bangalore, says that while Nagaland speaks of futuristic infrastructure, technology and investment, the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
Roads, he writes, are the state’s “longest-running blockbuster,” with contractors, governments and promises changing while the roads remain the same. Many parts of Nagaland still have no black-tar roads 80 years after Independence, and some villages appear “lost in time,” with transport operators hesitant or unwilling to serve them, he notes. Although state budgets allocate thousands of crores for roads and infrastructure every financial year, he alleges taxpayers’ money is spent and “legitimately misused” while ordinary citizens bear the brunt of potholes and damaged roads, sometimes at the cost of their lives. Asking who is accountable, he questions how contractors are selected and why firms with questionable track records keep winning projects, while acknowledging that the public shares some responsibility, complaining privately but remaining largely silent publicly. He urges Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha not to inherit problems earlier generations accepted as normal, but to demand immediate accountability.
While acknowledging Nagaland’s global reputation for hospitality, culture and community, Longkumer asks whether that is all the state has left to showcase. He argues Nagaland could host multinational companies, world-class research institutions and sustainable, environmentally responsible industries, and produce Olympians, scientists, doctors and business leaders, pointing to Meghalaya as proof that smaller states can create opportunities by thinking beyond traditional boundaries. The problem, he suggests, is not a lack of potential but a lack of ambition, execution and long-term vision.
Corruption, which he says affects virtually every citizen, draws his sharpest criticism. It touches the poor family waiting for a meal, the student awaiting better education, the patient needing affordable healthcare, and the young talent leaving Nagaland because they see no future at home, he writes. “A corrupt generation does not simply steal from the present, but it also borrows from the future,” he states. Invoking the investigative principle of “follow the money,” he stresses that funds allocated to the state come from taxpayers and are public money, giving citizens every right to question their utilisation and demand accountability. He also examines the fine line between cultural gifting and bribery, arguing that society has “normalised corruption as a culture.”
On leadership, he cites the late Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore as an example of transformative governance, saying Nagaland need not copy Singapore’s story but can draw inspiration from it, adding, “Perhaps there is a ‘Lee Kuan Yew’ in us.” Reflecting on the state’s identity as a predominantly Christian state, he asks whether Christian values should also guide decisions in government and public life.
Concluding that “the future of Nagaland is now,” he says the question should shift from “Who is responsible?” to “What am I willing to do?” — ending with the appeal: “Let’s start now. Let’s start today.”
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/a-commoners-view-of-an-evolving-nagaland
Category: Public Space
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-10-23 18:01:00
