Morung Express News
Kohima | March 16
Despite being a crucial department for urban progression, the Directorate of Municipal Affairs, which was bifurcated from the Urban Development in 2015, today lacks planning and policy and continuous instability.
This was cited by the employees during the visit of Metsubo Jamir, the new Minister for Urban Development and Municipal affairs on March 16 at the Directorate of Municipal Affairs where discussions were held on revamping the Directorate under the new Ministry.
“Governments come and go very easily. We should focus on how the department will carry out tomorrow and not how much money we get,” said Metsubo Jamir, who expressed the hope to transform the department into a self-sustaining department. Due to the lack of revenue generations and land conflict, the Municipalities have no chance to grow and develop infrastructures.
An employee noted that the department despite being three years old has not even developed proper policies. “We first need to stabilise the department. Our primary focus is to nurture, develop and help the ULB to become self-sustaining. But right now the department is only confined to programs. We are struggling with how to take care of the employees. We need urban planners, transport planners from planning background,” stated the employee.
“The mandate of the municipalities is to look after urban areas,” affirmed Metsubo noting that cadre management is a primary concern and suggested the employees to submit a working paper. Jamir also viewed that “there should be a deciding organisation for fund allocation depending on their activities, work progress and demographics.” Meanwhile an employee suggested creation of a database survey so that department programs are implemented towards the rightful beneficiaries.
The dilemma of demarcation between the rural and urban sectors was also cited, where Jamir pointed out that in some areas such as Dimapur city, some areas come under rural sector and are allocated rural funds. Jamir also expressed the need for integration of services such as water, roads and electricity.
Sharing the concept of replicating the rural system of planning such as the Village Development Board in urban areas, the Minister viewed the VDBs are “working well in 95 percent of our villages.” This concept will also provide reservations for women, Jamir stated, adding: “Women reservation must be protected. At this stage, women must be given some protections and rights.”
However the major issue lines in land ownership conflict. “These issues are very sensitive,” said Jamir, citing the absence of demarcation of rural and urban lands. “We don’t know where the village land ends and the urban land begins. And for urban development we really need to have this demarcation because overlapping is there,” he said, citing Dimapur and Kohima as places of such overlapping.
The Urban Development Department is currently headed by a Commissioner and Secretary as AHoD and Additional Director as HoD, and is maintained by 89 employees, including an Engineering Wing and 32 Specialists under Housing for All scheme.
At present, the department implements 16 projects under 10 percent lump sum, Housing For All (HFA) and Smart City as the State Nodal Department. The HFA scheme stands to benefit 36,000 people in 23 towns. Another 9 towns have been approved by the Ministry. So far 3000 beneficiaries have been geo-tagged in Kohima, Dimapur and Shamator, and the first instalment for each beneficiary has been released.
The Directorate has credited Rs.111 crore into the account of Smart city which is maintained in a private bank by the company. The Directorate has also submitted proposal to the three abundant projects of two multi level parking lot and a cultural hall in Kohima, which fall under the Smart City project.
