Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 1
Nagaland is experiencing migration of population from rural to urban areas ‘beyond expectation’ resulting in visible changes in socio-economic life and practice in the villages.
Principal Secretary, Rural Development, Bendangkokba IAS, stated this while highlighting findings from a case study on the migration of population from rural to urban sector, during the Performance Review Meeting under the Department of Rural Development held at its Conference Hall, Kohima on July 1.
The migration has “gone up beyond expectation over the years leading to a drop in rural population,” he noted.
With the decline of rural population, he said, the working force in the villages has been reduced even affecting jhum cycle, which has been raised to 10-15 years from 7-10 years, in recent times.
According to 2011 Census, Rural Population in Nagaland recorded decline by 15% during 2001-11.
To curb this migration of population, the Principal Secretary suggested strengthening the implementation of programmes such as MGNREGA, GIA and RSETI (NRLM) and providing income generating schemes to the rural youth.
He also called for instituting a ‘corpus fund’ for the rural youth from the percentage earmarked under GIA and to provide financial assistance to the farmers and create wholesale markets in all the blocks under MGNREGA.
The Principal Secretary also directed all the districts and blocks to submit progress report of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by July 15 and geo-tagging report of all programmes by July 31.
“All the officers were asked to furnish replies of audit para, success Stories under GIA and Utilization Certificate by July 25,” informed a report of the proceedings by K. Neibou Sekhose, Joint Dir RD.
The performance review meeting, held under the helm of RD Director Imlimeren Jamir, also discussed important issues and problems relating to MGNREGA, GIA/MCG/VDB Welfare fund, RGSA and PMAY (G).
