Pungro Town Council inaugurated, becomes the 29th town council of Nagaland state
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 25 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang pointed out that the decision of the Government to hold Municipal and Council elections in the State with 33% reservation for women was as per provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 as amended in 2006 by the State Government.
Inaugurating Pungro Town Council this morning in Kiphire district, the Chief Minister said the State Government took a “bold decision” to hold Municipal and Town council elections with 33% reservation for women even though there was a case pending in the Supreme Court.
“According to our own Municipal Act 2001 which was amended in 2006, there is provision for 33% reservation for women,” he pointed out and said it was decided to hold elections to the urban local bodies “as per our own Act.” “We have decided not to wait for the verdict of the Supreme Court since it is unpredictable which way the decision would go,” the Chief Minister said, according to a CMO press release.
He also said that as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the State “cannot receive grants from the Government of India if there are no Municipal and Town Councils.” And without grants there cannot be any worthwhile development in our towns, he added.
Reminding the people of the dynamics of running urban local bodies, the Chief Minister said these bodies are expected to raise their own resources and asked the people to “be more than willing to pay their taxes and fees to the Councils so that there is fund for their common needs and facilities.”
“If we want development, we need to inculcate a progressive mindset and attitude,” he said, adding “We need an attitude of willingness to contribute our best towards our common developmental needs.”
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that the Government has put the proposal for 400 housing for Urban Poor at Pungro in the current financial year on a priority basis.
Earlier in the morning, he flagged off an NST Night Bus Service between Pungro and Dimapur. The Chief Minister appealed to the people to consider the bus as their property and take good care of it so that the conveyance needs of the people in the area are catered to properly.
Reservation for women does not infringe Article 371 (A): ENWO
Earlier in the day, Birila Tonkiu, President of the Eastern Naga Women Organisation (ENWO), while addressing the gathering, thanked the Chief Minister and his Cabinet for taking what she called the right and bold step to hold Municipal elections with 33% reservation for women.
Reiterating that reservation for women does not infringe on Article 371 (A) since it has to do with urban governance only, she said, “If Naga men can enjoy rights, why not Naga women? Constitutional right is for all irrespective of gender!”
She went on to add that Naga women would not have fought for 33% reservation if it would have infringed on Article 371 (A) and social practices of the Naga people.
Also speaking at the function, Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs, Tohanba said the primary function of creating ULBs is to empower urban local governance through delegation of powers to the local bodies.
e expressed confidence that Pungro, being a border town, creation of Pungro Town Council would boost the economic activities within the town and thereby generate avenues for increasing revenues.
He revealed that as per 2011 Census, Pungro town has a population of 5, 744 with 854 households, and a literacy rate of 80.67%, which is higher that the State’s average literacy rate of 79.55%.
There are presently 3 Municipal Councils and 29 Town Councils in Nagaland state.
