Government declines to divulge Naga peace process cost

New Delhi: The government has said the expenditure incurred on the entire negotiation process under the ambitious Naga Framework Agreement cannot be made public as it will be prejudicial to national security interests.

"It is intimated that the information sought on the expenditure of Naga Framework Agreement are highly sensitive in nature and sharing the details will be prejudicial to the national security interests," the Home Ministry said in an RTI reply to IANS.

The information was exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, 2005, the reply added.

Clause 8(1)(a) bars making public information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, relation with foreign state or lead to incitement of an offence.

The Home Ministry also declined to give information on the cost incurred on keeping the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Issak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) leaders in Delhi ever since the signing of the Naga Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015.

The Agreement was signed between the Centre and the NSCN-IM after nearly two decades of negotiations.

Many expect a final solution to the six decades of Naga conflict by the end of this year. 

Nagaland may get some political autonomy as part of the overall solution.