Kohima, May 24 (MExN): The villages/wards adoption programme introduced by District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) Kohima in 2014 has resulted in numerous benefits for both individual DPDB members as well as Kohima DPDB, according to Ketoho Luho, ADC Planning & Member Secretary, DPDB Kohima.
Under the adoption programme, a committee was formed consisting 9 officers as members and the concerned elected member as the Advisor in each Assembly Constituency in Kohima district. No separate fund is provided to the committees by the Board except a meager amount for meeting a minimum expenditure for mobility of the team and the programs are executed mostly with contribution pooled from within the members, Advisor and exploration of resources from their counterpart departments.
In a press note, Ketoho said that earlier, deliberations in the DPDB meetings were usually dominated by few members, while many remained passive listeners. However, after the implementation of the adoption programme, the Conveners and the team are kept active as reports are to be updated to the Board in the monthly meetings. Thus, making the team and individuals more participative and responsive to the Board, it said.
The programme has also proven to be interactive and emulative among the team members, the note said. Since the programme is competitive in nature, every member is compelled to spell out their minds and experiences. It is advantageous for the members to be working together as a team and be close with other co-members, which will further enable them to be helpful when one is posted to other higher ranks in future, it added.
The programme also gives equal opportunity to officers to experience the reality of the villages and serve them better, Ketoho said. In real, it is not an easy task for the poor villagers to access the officers and acquaint with the programs and services that are made available by the Government; however, according to the note, the adoption programme has enabled the district officers to come down to the grassroots level, listen to their plight and explore avenues to meet their needs either by way of educating them or by meeting their needs.
“The DPDB members are supposed to be scientists, physicians, educationists and social scientists to the villagers and if we willingly serve them with concern, the living standard of the people can be improved and the district will surely be impacted and would go a long way,” the ADC concluded.
