Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 22
The Kohima Village Gazetted Officers’ Association (KVGOA) today organized a seminar on the topic “Role and responsibilities of VDB in implementation of various RD schemes and potentiality of coffee plantation in Kohima district” as part of its ongoing silver jubilee celebration at Kohima Village Council (KVC) Hall.
The seminar was sponsored by Department of Rural Development and Department of Land Resources with Vihesanuo Solo, BDO Kohima and Dr. Menuosietuo Tseikha DPO, Land Resources Kohima distict as resource persons. Talking on roles and responsibilities of VDBs in the implementation of RD schemes, Solo said the department of Rural Development has been involved in the developmental activities of the rural areas of Nagaland through the implementation of various programmes and schemes. She said the important role of the VDBs is to identify and select priority based schemes through general body meeting and prepare the village master plan. While doing this the VDBs must ensure ground implementation, community participation, transparency and proper utilization of funds and maintenance of records. The management Committee formed out of the general body with women and youth representative should oversee the works that are being carried out. Department of Rural Development is implementing programmes such as Grant-in-aid, PMAY (IAY), MGNREGS, Micro-finance, VDB fixed deposits and VDB welfare funds. This year the department has also set targets for construction of individual household latrines (IHHL) as part of Swachh Bharat Mission.
The achievements of Kohima village VDB during the last five years was presented during the function. VDB Kohima village under RD Block Kohima was awarded the best performing VDB this year and KVGOA president Er. Keviletuo Yiese congratulated the VDB and BDO in his closing remarks at the function.
Talking on potentiality of coffee plantation in Kohima district, Dr. Menuosietuo Tseikha said coffee plant can survive for 100 years. It uplifts the economy of the people, having high demand both in local and international market and marketing assurance. He said the department provides free coffee saplings, conduct capacity building, monitoring and technical support and also build linkages between farmers and Coffee Board of India. As far as support from Coffee Board of India is concern, he said, it provides maintenances fee of Rs. 35,000 in two installments, machinery equipment at 75% subsidy rate and transportation subsidy at 20% of the total transportation cost.
He also stated that the department is targeting to provide 5,00, 000 coffee saplings under Kohima district in which 2,50,000 have been distributed till date.
12,500 saplings have been distributed in Kohima village this year. Maintaining that Coffee is quite potential here on the ground of favourable rainfall and suitable soil condition and reserved forest, he called upon the people to take up the plantation with seriousness to boost their economy.
