THREE new districts have been created in Nagaland by upgrading sub-divisions Longleng and Kiphire under Tuensang district and Peren under Kohima district.  This is an Independence Day gift from the Neiphiu Rio cabinet. The state government has decided to declare Pfutsuro under Phek district and Naginimore under Mon district as town council areas. The decision is a quick follow up on DAN government’s commitment to give a new deal to the Tuensang and Mon, bordering Myanmar, which had been neglected in the past and were under-developed. Kiphire and Longleng districts are carved out of Tuensang, the biggest district in the State, while Peren is created by bifurcating the present Kohima district, the second largest in the State.

With the creation of the three new districts, the long-felt demands of the people of these sub-divisions would be fulfilled.The Zeliangrong Baudi, the apex body of the Zeliangrong tribe, has been demanding district status for Peren sub-division since a long time.

Nagaland presently has eight full-fledged districts - Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Pyek, Mon, Wokha and Zunheboto. Peren is inhabited mostly by Zeliang Nagas, while a mixture of Sangtam, Yimchunger, Sema and other Naga tribes inhabit Kiphire. Longleng is by and large inhabited by the Phom Nagas.

For a long while Peren and Kiphire sub-divisions were functioning under a separate additional deputy commissioner and a superintendent of police, Longleng was headed by an additional deputy commissioner.

In 1963, when Nagaland attained statehood, it had three districts, namely Kohima, Mokokchung and Tuensang. The number increased to seven in 1973 when Mon, Phek, Wokha and Zunheboto were created.

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