DIMAPUR, APRIL 14 (MExN): The Kuda Village Council (KVC) has issued a rejoinder to the allegation leveled by the Naga People’s Front (NPF) against the PDA government and the new Principal Secretary of Rural Development over distribution of MNREGA fund.
The NPF had alleged that the PDA government under Neiphiu Rio has misused the central fund by deducting high percentage and the new Principal Secretary practiced favoritism/nepotism by allocating an additional amount of Rs 1, 45, 00, 000 to Kuda Village on his own discretion beside the normal fund allocated to the said village.
KVC chairman, Achubou Meruno in a rejoinder on Saturday wanted to know “what wrong the officer in question has committed by trying to develop his village which had remained a neglected village for long.”
It contended that the officer in question- the new Principal Secretary- being the son of one of the first settler of not only Kuda (Nagarjan) village but whole of Dimapur, it was “only natural for having unwavering concern and interest in the development of Kuda village in particular and Dimapur town in general.”
It further wondered whether the concern officer has “embezzled any amount when funds or even the work orders are yet to be released.”
The KVC also pointed out that the village has been neglected by successive governments with the last major developmental activity undertaken by the government (apart from normal VDB programmes) in 2001-2002 under PMGSY for “repair & renovation of Kuda road from Nagarjan Police Point to 3rd Mile, NH 29” which was during the Congress government.
The KVC also lamented that even though the Nagarjan road, a by-pass from NH-29, cater to much of the light vehicles coming in to Dimapur town, subsequent governments had not bothered to even repair the road. And this had compelled the Village Council to repair the road from its own funds for consecutive years, with this year being no different, it added.
In this connection, the KVC has appealed to “all political parties not to politicize the matter, but allow the VDB Kuda village to utilise the fund as and when the same is released for the sake of development which shall be in the interest of all concerned.”
