The Centre, Manipur government and the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga apex body, on Thursday held tripartite talks and agreed to roll back the state government’s move that created seven new districts which came into effect in December 2016.
A proposal to this effect would be presented by the state government representatives in the next round of talks in April, a statement said.
“After thorough discussions, it was mutually agreed that a proposal will be presented by representatives of the state government in the next tripartite meeting, scheduled for April 2025,” the joint statement read.
The statement was signed by Ng Lorho, president of the United Naga Council and other officials who attended the meeting. Chief Secretary of Manipur, Prashant Kumar Singh; Commissioner (Home), N Ashok Kumar, from the Manipur government, and AK Mishra, Advisor (NE), representing the Central government also signed the agreement.
According to a joint statement signed by the representatives of the UNC, Manipur government, and the Centre, the meeting chaired by Advisor (NE) to the Union Home Ministry deliberated on the 2016 move of the Congress government under Okram Ibobi Singh, to the creation of seven new districts.
In December 2016, Manipur became a 16-district state, after seven new districts were formed by dividing the nine existing ones.
Currently, Manipur is subdivided into 16 districts after the formation of seven new districts, including Tengnoupal (bifurcated from Chandel), Kamjong (from Ukhrul), Pherzawl (from Churachandpur), Kangpokpi (from Senapati), Jiribam (from Imphal East), Kakching (from Thoubal) and Noney (from Tamenglong).
The creation of the districts came after an economic blockade enforced by the UNC, protesting against the creation of two districts, Sadar and Jiribam, alleging that they would encroach on the ancestral land of the Nagas.