The Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region said his engagements in Nagaland—from witnessing the traditional stone-pulling ceremony to interacting with handloom, handicraft, and blacksmith artisans—revealed “an amazing experience” and showcased the immense potential embedded in the people, culture, and heritage of the state.
“It is not only a festival. The potential that Nagaland has in its people, its rich culture, and heritage is something the world must be aware of and must come and experience. Please don’t limit Nagaland only to the Hornbill Festival,” he said.
Scindia also highlighted the promise of Nagaland’s coffee sector after visiting Arabica and Robusta plantations. He hailed the state’s bean quality, branding, and packaging, describing them as “nothing short of world-class”.
The minister said the Commerce and DoNER ministries were actively examining ways to strengthen Nagaland’s coffee, which Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has identified as one of the state’s key unique selling propositions.
“We’ve got about 11,000 hectares under cultivation. We want to look at a common processing centre, value addition, and getting more income into the hands of our coffee growers,” Scindia said.
Earlier on Friday, Scindia took part in the traditional Angami Naga stone-pulling ceremony at Tuophema village, the home of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in Kohima district, as part of the 26th Hornbill Festival. Scindia, dressed in traditional Angami attire, joined Rio, Deputy Chief Ministers Y. Patton and T.R. Zeliang, and thousands of people in the traditional stone-pulling ceremony.
The stone, weighing more than 30 tonnes, was pulled for almost 2 km with traditional yodelling by the Naga communities. Scindia, the Union Minister for Communications and DoNER, described the ceremony as “a very important day for all, not only for Tuophema village but for the people of Nagaland and the entire country”.
After the ceremony, the minister toured the village and also unveiled an extensive development package focused on strengthening connectivity, infrastructure, and public services across the state. He inaugurated five completed projects worth over Rs 202 crore and also laid the foundation stones for 11 new projects worth more than Rs 443 crore, covering healthcare, sports, innovation, energy, and major road development.