Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 11
A year-long ‘Community sensitization on department schemes and activities’ organized by the State Department of Social Welfare culminated in Dimapur district with the programme held at Chumukedima Town Council hall, on Tuesday.
The sensitization progamme is part of the department’s preparation for the upcoming celebration of 50 years of community service to the people since the establishment of the department way back in 1968.
Director, State Department of SW, T Merangtsungba Aier, the theme speaker of the event, explained to highlight to the public at large of all blocks under Dimapur district including village council members and ‘Anganwadi’ workers and helpers, the welfare schemes and activities initiated and undertaken by the department since its inception.
The director said some of the major welfare schemes being implemented by the SW department under state and central schemes such as National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) include women and child welfare, senior citizens, people with disabilities or differently-abled persons and grant-in-aid.
Aier however lamented that due to various setbacks including paucity of fund from the state government, the department could not reach out to all genuine citizens who deserve the welfare schemes. He said out of the 1.2 lakh senior citizens (60 years and above) in Nagaland, central assistance could be extended to only 57,000 senior citizens.
Likewise are the cases with widows and disabled beneficiaries, he added. The director however assured that the department was trying its best to cover all genuine beneficiaries.
With regard to grant-in-aid, Aier informed that the SW department was financial assistance to 48 NGOs in the state, which include 23 children welfare NGOs, 09 NGOs dealing with disabled people and 12 NGOs with drug and alcohol abuse people.
Further, the director also informed on issues faced by the department like restrictions imposed by the Union Ministry, delay in release of fund, improper maintenance of senior citizens register, disability certificate, village council recommendation and, poor recovery of NHHDC loans.
Earlier, SPO Social Welfare, Michael Zaren, delivered the keynote address in the programme chaired by DPO Dimapur, S Nezolu Rhakho.
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