Sano Meru
NOVEMBER 30
KOHIMA (MExN): Planning and Urban Development Minister, Dr. Shürhozelie today revealed that the state government has a proposal to increase the Village Development Board (VDB) household from Rs. 800 to Rs.900 and that it was under active consideration.
Speaking on the occasion of the VDB Silver Jubilee as the Chief Guest, Dr. Shürhozelie pointed out that the DAN Government has approved to register a total of 76, 921 households and this, he said, would bring about an overall increase in the allocation funds under various CSS rural development programmes. Dr. Shürhozelie also appealed to the people to ensure that the VDBs are nurtured, strengthened and preserved in order for it to showcase the model of true empowerment to the rural people in the process of grass root level planning and implementation of development programmes to the rest of the country and beyond. He further appealed to the people to understand the constant challenges faced by the VDBs in the process of implementation of the various developmental programmes especially in the remote areas of the state. Stressing on this, he highlighted the various problems encountered, such as, the traditional taboos observed by the people and the difficult terrain and adherence to tradition agriculture practices by the different tribes and also on the various weakness of the VDBs, terming it on three categories such as the Performing VDBs, that of the mediocre category and the non-performing VDBs and maintained that in order to check on these unhealthy trend from proliferating, the RD Department was in the process of bringing out a comprehensive scheme for rewarding such of the performing VDBs and penalizing the non-performing VDBs.
He also stated that their aim was to transform the rural areas from total dependence to a self-reliant economy and that much is expected on the VDBs towards the attainment of this goal. He hoped that the lessons derived from the past 25 years of the functioning of VDBs would be put to good use in bringing about quantitative improvement on its performance while congratulating the VDB for being the hub where all development activities at the grass root revolved.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman VDB Kohima District chaired the occasion while keynote address was delivered by the State Level RD Official and guest of honour, R Khing also spoke on the occasion.
The silver jubilee celebration was also marked by various special songs and folk songs by various Kohima VDB Block representatives.
In the afternoon session, Alemla K Chishi, Deputy Project Officer DRDA, Kohima chaired the session and resource person, Norman Putsüre, Director Land Resources Development spoke on “Sustainable Development”.
It may be mentioned that the institution of VDBs, which is synonymous with the concept of decentralized grass-root level planning in Nagaland, was the brainchild of A.M Gokhale, the then D.C Phek.
The first VDB was set up at Ketsapomi Village in Phek District on an experimental basis and on its success a mass campaign was launched under the guidance and stewardship of Late Vamuzo, the then Minister, Rural Development to expand the coverage of this unique institution throughout the State. VDB, were thereafter gradually constituted in the remaining parts of the State and the concept institutionalized with the enactment of the VDB Model Rules in 1980. Presently there are 1083 VDBs in the State.
