Dr. M.L. Ngullie, Senior Lecturer,
Dimapur Govt. College
The Village Development Board (VDB) is a grass-root level rural development institution that is involved in planning and implementation of rural development programs in Nagaland. The concept of VDB was developed by Shri. A.M. Gokhale, the then Deputy Commissioner of Phek, with his father M.S. Gokhale, a renowned sociologist. He introduced the concept first at Ketsapomi village in December 1976 on trial basis. After four years of experimentation, the State Govt. adopted the concept and introduced it in the whole State in the year 1980. Now there are 1083 VDBs operating in the State, covering 2,16,503 households spreading over 52 blocks.
The main objectives of the VDB are to take development to the villages through grass-root level planning and implementation of projects. It is done so with a view to achieve the ideals of removal of rural poverty through community asset building and employment generation. It also aims at ensuring devolution of economic power to the rural people with a noble intention of raising their standard of living through economic enlistment. Thus, from economic point of view, VDBs function as Panchayati Raj institution at the village level.
VDB as an institution has been developed based on traditional village administrative structure and strong community life of the Nagas. It was also developed with a strong emphasis on the desire of the Govt. to ensure that development funds reach the villagers.
Nagaland initiated community development schemes way back in 1952 when it was only a district in the State of Assam. The schemes were implemented on the basis of 50:50 sharing of expenditure which unfortunately, did not evoke much response from the rural masses. Besides, the State of Nagaland was exempted from the purview of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment due to existence of local self-government bodies like Village Councils. Thus, the real work of rural development with full participation of the people at the grass-root level got underway only in 1980-81 when the concept of VDB was introduced in the State.
VDB functions as the grass-root level organization under the Department of Rural Development. At the block level, the Block Development Office headed by the BDO oversees the developmental activities. At the district level, the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) headed by a Project Director functions as the controlling office. And at the State level, the Directorate of Rural Development acts as the nodal office for administration.
As far as implementation of programs is concerned, a committee named as ‘Rural Development Committee’ headed by the Minister-in-Charge for Rural Development as the Chairman is constituted at the State level. At the district level, the District Planning Board headed by an elected member and the Deputy Commissioner acting as the Vice-Chairman or Chief Development Planning Board Officer, operates and implements the works. At the Sub-Divisional level, the board consists of ADC and the representatives of all divisional developmental offices, heads of divisional offices, MLAs and the Chairmen of Area Councils. Finally, at the village level, the Village Level Workers oversee the projects.
VDBs are constituted under Clause 12 of Section 12 of the Nagaland Village and Area Council Act, 1978. The Govt. of Nagaland, in exercise of the powers conferred by the aforesaid Act has revised the VDB Model Rules in 1980 regarding the composition and functioning, etc of the Village Development Boards. Presently, VDBs are governed by these Revised Model Rules which are also subject to subsequent amendments from time to time.
Under the aforementioned rules, VDBs are formed by the general body of all permanent residents of the village. The general body meets at least once a year and passes resolutions for management of the affairs of the VDB. The same body selects 5 to 25 members are among themselves. One-fourth of the members are chosen from among women candidates. One of the members is selected to be the VDB Secretary for a term. The Board sits every month on a fixed date for selection of the schemes and projects and also to monitor the progress of the on-going works. Following the guidelines, the VDBs are required to maintain fixed deposit accounts which form the very basis of the VDBs existence.
At the initiative of VDBs, a number of projects under schemes like JGSY, EAS, JAY, SGSY, etc are implemented in the villages. Thus, VDBs are involved in such activities as receipt of funds from the Govt., formulation of the plans, selection of schemes and beneficiaries, monitoring the progress of the works, monitoring the use of fund, maintenance and auditing of the accounts, etc.
25 years ago, a few CGI sheet roofed buildings, un-metalled village roads, Community Radio Sets issued by Publicity & Information Department, etc were the only signs of development in the villages. But after introduction of VDB, development activities in the rural areas progressed tremendously. For instance, several durable assets such as roads, community buildings, fishery ponds, community wells, irrigation dams, agricultural, horticultural and Veterinary & Animal Husbandry establishments etc have been created under different schemes. As a result, every village has community hall and an educational institution, 99% of the villages have been connected by roads, several villages have attained 100% housing coverage and several villages have developed community reserved forests. Many villages have their own Buses for carrying passengers and pick up vehicles for carrying agricultural and horticultural produce. Creation of such community assets has definitely increased the income generating capacity of the rural people.
Grants-in-Aid (GIA) to the VDBs was introduced with a view to provoke initiative for developmental activities at the village level according to their local requirements. This objectives has been achieved in the sense that nowadays most of the VDB officials are well experienced in formulating and implementing various projects at different levels and departments. Further, the idea of ensuring flow of funds to the rural people is being realized as the government goes on increasing the household allocation year by year.
The SGRY Program was introduced for employment generation at the village level while creating durable assets like approach roads, fishery ponds, ring well, social forestry, culverts, resting sheds, school buildings and rural housing, etc. This program succeeded in providing employment generation as targeted. Many villages took up schemes pertaining to construction or repair of community halls, schools and approach roads as a result of which thousands of mandays of employment for unskilled labourers were generated. Consequent upon introduction of Matching Cash Grant policy to encourage the villagers to raise their own village funds either through contribution, donation and community participation in execution of projects or through any other means, almost every VDB opened its own fixed deposit accounts.
Over and above these, rural funds mobilized by VDBs have accounted upto Rs. 47 crores in all. As a result, VDB has been recognized as Non-Banking Financial Intermediary (NBFI) and accordingly, it is now entitled to give loan to and collect repayments from the beneficiaries by obtaining funds from commercial banks. So far, 25 VDBs have been selected to act as NBFI. These are simply a pleasant dream coming true.
The success of VDB is leading to the development of the globally acclaimed concept called “communitization” which the State has innovated. Accordingly, communitization system has been introduced in a few departments like Education, Power, Medical, etc and is showing success.
Some of the problems faced by the VDBs include political interference in the selection and implementation of the projects. Bureaucratic delays hamper timely release of funds for which implementation of projects is affected. Mishandling of funds by the VDB officials themselves also create problems for effective implementation of projects. Unnecessary donations from different quarters adversely affect the developmental works. In some cases, overlapping of schemes from other departments do pause problems. Lack of proper verification of projects by the implementing officials, as also lack of awareness of the VDB schemes by the masses, pause tremendous challenges to the success of VDB. Therefore, if VDBs are to be successful, the society needs to check corruption at all levels, at the same time prevent political interference and bureaucratic delays. Transparency of accounts also must be ensured, at the same time the rural masses must be enlightened on the working system of VDBs so as to make them responsible and development conscious citizens.
VDB in Nagaland, as an institution has survived the vagaries of time and tide, and now as it celebrates Silver Jubilee, it must introspect on its failures and successes and renew its resolve to march ahead for building a vibrant rural economy. It must focus on the effective implementation of the development projects as a responsible agent of rural transformation.
Gandhiji once remarked, “today the villages are dung heaps, tomorrow they will be like tiny garden of Eden”. As a humble attempt to fulfill the noble desires of the Father of the Nation, and in pursuance of the ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ enshrined in the Part-iv of the Constitution of India, VDB in Nagaland is marching ahead in making Nagaland a self-reliant and strong economy.
