DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 14 (MExN): The Nagaland State VDB Association (NSVDBA) has appealed to the Nagaland State Chief Minister, TR Zeliang to release the Indra Awas Yojina (IAY) 2015-2016 and the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) 2014-2015, which are meant for the development of poor villages at the earliest. A press note from the NSVDBA President, Tohoshe Awomi and General Secretary, Manthungo Kikon asserted that villages cannot be deprived of their legitimate shares. The association stated that in spite of repeated appeal, the “indifferent attitude on the part of the competent authority in depriving the wellbeing of the poor villagers in Nagaland shows that the government of the day has the least concern for the development of the rural people.” Therefore it NSVDBA appealed to the competent authority to release the funds so as to enable the villagers to proceed with various developmental projects which are already earmarked without any delay.
It further appealed for immediate release of National Social Assistance Programs (NSAP) 2015-2016 such as IGOPS, IGNWPS, NFBS etc under the department of Social Security &Welfare, to the beneficiaries by March 2016.
The NSVDBA meanwhile acknowledged the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, for the declaration made on February 2, 2016 during the 10th anniversary of MGNREGA, that the Ministry will implement Direct Benefit Transfer to the beneficiaries of MGNREGA job card holders from April 2016. In this connection, the association requested the Nagaland State Government to open nationalised bank branches in 72 RD blocks of the state for successful implementation of the program, as there are no such facilities in the entire state except for a few blocks.
