Nagaland is a beneficiary of this so called Local Area Development Program fund (as of latest nomenclature) for decades now. The elected representatives as well as general public should realize the importance of this fund which calls for active and constructive participation from both sides for its successful implementation. Beginning 2005-06 the amount has been increased to Rs 60 lakhs per Constituency. For a small State like ours, this amount can do a lot in a Constituency if utilized judiciously and with proper planning, and if we’d done so over the years, the history of development in the State would have been different today.
However, due to want of vision and sincerity, this program has failed to achieve any satisfactory result in most parts of the State - in the case of certain areas, the mission has failed miserably for reasons which need not mention. Therefore, it is requested of the government to ensure effective measures (not in paper but in action) with regard to implementation of this particular program because a huge amount of money goes up in flames every year without achieving any concrete development in most parts of the State. Notwithstanding its ‘nature’, let this Fund be free of any ‘hands’ and utilized ‘fully’ for developmental activities and without any bias on any ground. Every village/town/area should get its own share.
Let the works be executed through genuine and recognized agencies and see that every project is completed. Since there are various schemes and funds available to benefit individual entrepreneurship at present, it would be a welcomed step if a major share of the fund is targeted for public developmental works. Given the fact that Nagaland is comprised mostly of villages and small towns, we can achieve satisfactory results even in ten years time if done so sincerely.
Allen Imsong
