Morung Express News
Mokokchung | November 27
A Social Public Hearing was held today at Hotel Metsüben, Mokokchung initiated by the Society for Training and Research on Rural Development under MGNREGA for fiscal 2014-15, Phase III with M. Chaitanya Prasad IAS, SDO (C) Mokokchung as Observer. The public hearing today was held for seven villages namely, Moayimti, Lakhuni, Japu, Chungliyimsen, Kinunger, Moalenden and Mopungchuket.
As part of the public hearing, a village wise social audit report was presented by the SRP team which was followed by a discussion session. It was found that during the village wise social audit rounds conducted prior to today’s public hearing, the villages were found to be wanting in not updating the MGNREGA job cards. It was further made public today that the respective villages were to update their villagers’ job cards.
Chairperson of the day’s hearing and District Programme Coordinator & Project Director, DRDA Mokokchung, Liboni Humtsoe encouraged the VDBs and the Village Councils to work cohesively in implementing and utilizing the MGNREGA funds. She also entrusted the BDOs to ensure that job cards are provided to disabled persons.
Observer of the day’s public hearing and SDO (C) Mokokchung urged the VDBs and the Village Councils to utilize the funds judiciously in good faith in the interest of public welfare. He also suggested that the villagers should collectively decide on the priorities. He also said that the utilization of funds was a self-government exercise and added that the funds utilization was up to the wisdom and conscience of the villagers collective. He also commented that all job card owners should open bank accounts as per established norms.
During the course of the hearing, some of the villagers lamented that they were receiving wages for only about 30 days despite the 100 days’ wages guaranteed under MGNREGA flagship program. It was however clarified that the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI has not been releasing the 100 days’ wages as envisaged.
