Kohima: Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Friday participated in the traditional Angami Naga stone-pulling ceremony at Tuophema village, the native village of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, during the 26th Hornbill Festival.
Dressed in traditional Angami attire, Scindia, accompanied by his son, joined Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers Y. Patton and T. R. Zeliang, and thousands of participants in the culturally significant ritual. The massive stone—estimated to weigh over 30 tonnes—was pulled for nearly 2 km amid traditional Naga yodelling.
Calling it “a very important day for all, not only for Tuophema village but for the people of Nagaland and the entire country,” the Union Minister for Communications and DoNER said the ceremony reflected the rich cultural identity of the Angami community.
Following the event, Scindia toured the village and announced a major development package aimed at bolstering connectivity, infrastructure and public services across Nagaland. He inaugurated five completed projects worth over Rs 202 crore and laid foundation stones for 11 new projects totalling more than Rs 443 crore, spanning healthcare, sports, innovation, energy and key road upgrades.
Scindia highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East Policy as a catalyst for rapid development across the Northeast, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare and youth-centric initiatives. He added that more projects are in the pipeline and would be taken forward in coordination with the state government.
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Chief Minister Rio welcomed the progress made under the DoNER Ministry, noting the impact of schemes such as NESIDS-OTRI, NESIDS-Roads and PM-DevINE in improving connectivity, water supply, healthcare, education and digital infrastructure in Nagaland.
