Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): Deputy Commissioner of Peren district Khrienuo Metha on August 31 last at Baudi hall, Jalukie town addressed the inaugural session of “A Discourse on Government Policies and State Obligations”, a meeting which brought together community leaders, civil society organizations and public authorities of Peren district’s Rural Development, Social Welfare and Health departments. The programme was jointly organised by North East Network (NEN) Nagaland and WIDEN-N, Jalukie with the objective of promoting the culture of transparency, accountability and good governance.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner deliberated that Nagaland is in a transitional period and the present government programmes may not continue always so she called upon the participants to make use of government funds available today. She also declared that the district of Peren will ban wildlife hunting with effect from September 1, for a period of one year which will be enforces by the public authorities at the district and the village level. Responding to this, one of the participants highlighted the farmer-animal conflict, where crops are destroyed and attacked by animals and yet no mechanism for compensation, stated a press note issued by President WIDEN-N, Achinpei Gangmei.
The note also stated that presenting State’s obligations on rural health care, CMO of Peren, Dr. L. Kuotsu highlighted the various entitlements of the public under National Rural Health Mission (2007-2012). Issues of accessibility, affordability and quality and accountability in health care were brought out during the session. He pointed out that Nagaland State’s Communization of Public services which includes health has received international recognition for getting UN Award and also performance wise in Primary Health Care, Nagaland ranked 2nd amongst the Indian states. Besides provision under NRHM, other schemes such as the National Maternity Benefit Scheme, National Blindness Control programme, amongst others were known to the public.
DPO, Rural Development, Peren Marshoba Ao when sharing on the obligations of the state under Rural Development highlighted the role, responsibilities of Village Development Boards (VDB) and the community should unanimously select the right persons as the VDB Secretary but should never encourage election. He pointed out that women and youth are entitled to 25% and 20% respectively in the VDB fund; however these funds should be used wisely for the development of the women, youth and community as a whole. He also highlighted on various schemes such as Matching Cash Grant, Micro-Finance, SGSY, IRDP and Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Rural Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), it said.
Moreover, CDPO Jalukie Nezolu spoke on the State obligations under Women and Child Development. She dwelt on the various programmes under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) where she pointed out the need for better co-ordination between departments of Health, School Education and social welfare for effective implementation. She highlighted on other schemes such as NOAPS, National Family Benefit Schemes, Schemes for the Disabled, Blind and Widows, Kishore Shakti Yojana, Juvenile Home. During the interaction, she also brought out issues of favoritism, nepotism, corruption within the village level which results to poor implementation.
The press note also said that speaking on “Fulfilling state’s obligations through community participation”, Seno Tsuhah, NEN stressed on the need to strengthen the communization programme in the villages to bring about a desired change. She also dwelt on the importance of issue-based effective planning and implementation in the village development plans. Quoting Gandhi “Be the change we want to see…” she challenged the participants to be accountable and transparent if we expect the same from the government. Besides this, the use of Right to Information Act 2005 was briefed by Wekowe-u, NEN to the participants. Achinpei Gangmei, President WIDEN expressed her gratitude to all the Govt. officers and public leaders for their positive response. "Big thanks to 32 Assam Rifle for their support, i.e., .sound systems and chairs as well as physical support."
