1
Leader of Opposition and former chief minister, TR Zeliang, addressing SHGs members and villagers after inaugurating three project of NERLP at Old Tesen village, Saturday.
Morung Express News
Peren | October 27
Leader of theOpposition, Nagaland Legislative Assembly, and former Chief Minister, TR Zeliang has urged upon the SHGs of Peren district to learn and put into practice the system shown by the World Bank (WB) in project management.
“If the system is put in place then everything will work out smooth and efficient”, the opposition NPF leader said in his address after inaugurating three project of North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) here at Old Tesen Village on Saturday.
The NERLP projects under Ministry of DoNER and funded by World Bank at Old Tesen village include gravity goods ropeway, roadside market shed and large cardamom cultivation under community development programme.
Zeliang said every SHGs and SGH village federation should have a working system with clear cut work allocation and responsibilities among men, women and youth. “Tomorrow even if the WB pulls out and there is no more NERLP projects, if you have the system in place, then you can progress and march forward on your own”, he said.
Taking the case of Bihar, Zeliang said the main reason why migrant workers from Bihar earning their livelihood in the North East Region have gradually decreased over the years is because of the intervention of the World Bank. He said when Nitish Kumar was the Chief Minister of Bihar, the latter requested the WB to invest and develop the state and show the rural populace a road map to self reliance.
Likewise, the intervention of WB in West Bengal has changed rural landscape of the state in terms of livelihood enhancement, the former Nagaland Chief Minister said.
On how the World Bank came to North East, Zeliang said it was during 2004-08 when he represented Nagaland as Member of Parliament that the MPs of NE states discussed ways and means to rope in WB to develop the region. Subsequently, proposals were put up and finally World Bank agreed to partner in rural livelihood programmes through DoNER Ministry, he said.
He also underscored the need for officers of departments like Rural Development to identify and undertake schemes and projects basing on the potentiality of villages and areas for maximum output and benefit, especially in cultivation of fruits, vegetables and crops.
Zeliang further stressed the need to preserve forests and natural vegetation to combat climate change and for ecological balance.
Former MLA of the area, Tarie Zeliang, and Old Tesen village council chairman, Iba Zeliang, also spoke on the occasion. State coordinator NERLP, Ringsanbo Zeliang, proposed vote of thanks.
