Dimapur, March 14 (MExN): State-level vigilance and monitoring committee nominated by the Ministry of Rural Development has completed its first phase of its inspection in Nagaland. Interacting with the media persons, the committee said the data collected during the inspection will be analysed, cross-checked and a meeting will be conducted with the head of the departments and the reports will be forwarded to the ministry.
After this the second phase will commence and based on the report of the first phase, the committee will visit some of the areas which need to be addressed publicly. The committee members present at the press conference were Medokul Sophie, S Richard Humtsoe, Imtirenba Changkiri and T Hayithung Bill Lotha.
Humtsoe said that the committee’s role is to check that the funds meant for rural development are implemented as per the norms given by the Ministry. On which Sophie added that “despite pumping of so much fund” the outcome is not satisfactory.
Changkiri also said: “...large sums of public funds had gone missing but it needs cross checking.” In regard to checking of the alleged misuse funds, Lotha said that the data collected from the first phase will be compared with the records kept by the HoDs of respective departments. Concerning the inspection of blocks under Dimapur district, the committee said that some were impressive but some were not. “Some villages surprised us unpleasantly.”
On centrally sponsored programmes, the committee said that most beneficiaries in the rural areas do not know the ‘inside out’ of the programmes. They suggested that educating the public in rural areas about those programmes would be helpful in successful implementation.
Also, the committee highlighted that some of the centrally sponsored programmes are not compatible to Naga society. Stating that minimum rate for a daily wage earner in Nagaland is Rs 300, whereas the MNREGA wage is around Rs 118. Suggesting it would be better if the ministry would come up with a “separate formula for northeast” region.
Humtsoe added that MNREGA implementation in the state would be more successful if it is “project based” and not according to job card scheme. The committee members also said that in most of the rural areas the maintenance of record on implementation of various govt schemes were poor. If the villages maintained the records well, “it will help fight corruption”, they added.
