Al Ngullie
Morung Express News
August 1 | 2009
The Rs. 1, 000 Crore special economic package sought for Nagaland by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Khekiho Zhimomi has run into the eternal nightmare – Red-Tape and nit-picking of the Central ministries. Worst, given the tone of Zhimomi’s reaction and opinion over the possible response of the Centre to the request for the 6-project economic package, it might not be conceded to, by New Delhi.
Nonetheless for now, saving grace for the state has come in the form of the Ministry of Rural Development’s Rs 10.59 Crore for rural sanitation for year 2009-2010. The central Ministry of Rural Development has this month released funds over Rs.71.13 Crore as grant-in-aid to a number of states with Nagaland receiving Rs 10.59 Crore under the Centre’s Total Sanitation Campaign of the Central Rural Sanitation Programme for 2009-2010. In Nagaland the grant-in-aid for the sanitation campaign is meant for implementation in Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung, Mon, Peren, Phek and Zunheboto district.
The other states the grant-in-aid covered are Assam, Rajasthan and Kerala. Rajasthan received the biggest lot of Rs 43.52 Crore. Assam state received Rs 7.26 Crore while Kerala received Rs 9.75 Crore out of the total Rs.71.13 Crore allocation. The campaign is a comprehensive programme to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with the broader goal to eradicate the practice of open defecation and ensure sanitation facilities in the rural areas.
The “broader goal,” however, is to do away with the practice of open defecation. The campaign was initiated in 1999 with strong emphasis on information, education and communication, capacity-building and hygiene education “for effective behavioral change” with the involvement of NGOs. The Centre hopes to do away with the practice of open defecation by year 2010.
On the flip side of celebrations, Rajya Sabha MP Khekiho Zhimomi is still waiting for a response from the Centre over giving Nagaland the special economic package. He is not too happy that there is “too much Red-tape” and the central ministries are nit-picking his request. “The process is complicated; too much-red-tapism; any project that is submitted, the ministries and department are always finding deficiency after deficiency,” Zhimomi lamented from Delhi. He said the economic package is a set of six projects and the Rs. 1, 000 Crore estimation was supposed to be in “lump-sum.” But, he lamented, ‘they are looking for deficiency after deficiency.’
Referring to the one common pique the Indian rich and the poor alike share – Red-Tapism – Zhimomi said different ministries and departments each have their own programmes and “it is very difficult” to secure funds, leave alone economic packages to the tune of Rs. 1, 000 Crore for a single state.
He complained that the departments are ever nit-picking into proposals and is “very difficult” securing any headway. He sounded not too certain that the SEP would be given to the state. Queried over the Central government’s topical response to his request, he said to be still waiting for one. And whether or not he is hopeful at least? The centre is yet to response, and “there is too much-red tapism,” he reiterated in reply. “But”, he added simply, “It is one matter we cannot ignore.”
