Or your area’s seats in NLA
Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 9
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today renewed his appeal to the people of Nagaland to go by the rules in conducting the 2011 Census of India. He implied that the census is different from electoral rolls and no ‘problems should be created’ for the society while conducting the census. The chief minister reminded all in concern especially the local-governing bodies that exaggerating census numbers won’t result in any financial or political dividends or even increase in ‘VDB funds.’
The chief minister referred to the tendency in Nagaland to exaggerate population figures by making multiple entries during the enumeration process. Here, the chief minister made it very clear that cheating the numbers would only prove to be a futile exercise – it would neither increase VDB fund allocation nor increase assembly seats and assured that people need not have fear or has doubts in putting the correct figures.
Rather, putting multiple entries would deprive the citizens of provision of the unique identity cards (UIDs), he explained. He also assured that the government would devise a method which will ensure that VDB fund allocation is done justly. Further, Rio assured that Nagaland is a special-category state and that its people need not have fears of being deprived of its share of funds.
“Let us go by the rules and not create problems for our society”, he appealed. The chief minister warned that even if putting in multiple entries in the enumeration is practiced, those indulging in such practices can be caught from the biometrics which would ultimately lead to deprivation of the Unique Identity cards.
Chief Minister Rio made the appeal while participating in a discussion on the census 2011. Members of the Joint Parliamentary Working Committee of the 11th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, leaders of NGOs and civil organizations and tribal representatives attended the event in the Zonal Council Hall in Kohima today. Director of Census, Hekali Zhimomi was the moderator.
Later, a closed-door joint meeting on the Naga political issue was held between the Joint Parliamentary Working Committee with representatives of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), Naga Hoho, ENPO, NSF, ENSF, NPMHR, Nagaland Christian Forum, NMA, ENWO and tribal representatives.
