Less money, more concerns for uplift of rural economy: Kikheto
Source: NEPS *

Kohima, June 14 2016: Secretary for Land Resources Department, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS, said the Department could initiate so many programs which would uplift the economy and the standard of living of the rural people.

Speaking at the Valedictory Program of "Participatory Springshed Development" under Participatory Ground Water Management here at the Conference Hall, Directorate of Land Resources on Tuesday, the Secretary said the Department did not have enough fund, yet they could take up various community-based works as per the wishes of the people to rise their economy and standard of living.

He said the Department did not have much budget.

Their staffs including casual and fix pay ones in Nagaland are less than 200 only and they consume less than Rs 6 crore in a year.

It comes less than 0.13% of the total salary of the Government employees in the State.

Secretary for Land Resources Department, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS (right) speaking at the Valedictory Program of "Participatory Springshed Development" under Participatory Ground Water Management here at the Conference Hall, Directorate of Land Resources June 14, 2016

He also disclosed that the Annual Approved Plan for the Land Resource Department was Rs 264 crore but allocation was just Rs 28.20 crore.

Out of this, about Rs 10 crore would be spent on salaries of the employees and honorarium for about 540 employees of the Project Management Team.

"Ours is performing State comparing with other States," he said and further added that he had been requesting the Ministry to provide more funds to the Department.

"We are, in no way, a liability to the State," he stated and adding "Good things come in a small way" .

Kikheto Sema stated that they had so many springs in all the villages of the State.

"Some are used while many are not used nor identified," he disclosed and further said that time had come to create "massive awareness to preserve our springs, rivers, streams" .

Expressing his happiness on the weeklong "Participatory Springshed Development" Workshop which started from May 30 under a team of Resource Persons from People's Science Institute (PSI), Dehradun, the Secretary said the kind of Watershed Management training conducted in identified eleven villages of each district of Nagaland would begin to change a lot in the living standard of the rural people.

The Officials of the Land Resource Department undergoing field Springshed Management training under PSI team had come up with their report and shown their Power Point Presentations.

They had shown details of water quality testing, discharging and recharging water and identifying springs, etc.

They also informed that villagers were very happy and cooperative when they showed them about the Springshed Management works in their respective villages.

The Recourse persons from the PSI are Awi Tsuhas, Research Assistant, i/c of NE, Vergish, Geologist, Sreedip, Geologist and Ankit Saxena, Research Assistant.

Kikheto Sema said the kind of Springshed Workshop conducted under PSI was perhaps the first time organized without any funding from the Government of India or the State Government.

"Yet we could organize it and our concern is less money, more concern on the community-based developments," he added.

The Secretary also said those who participated in the Springshed Management field training conducted at Ziphenyu, Tseminyu Block from May 30 to June 4 would immensely enhance the future delivery services to the people of the State.

The lessons and experiences they had from the training would multiply and they would again start working in the fields.

"We have so many well-qualified professionals and technocrats working in our department and I want the sleeping lions to wake up," he said.

"I want to urge all of you that we should deliver maximum benefits to the rural people." Earlier, Awi Tsuhah, Research Assistant, PSI, incharge of NE gave the background of the Springshed Management Development and how they had conducted the workshop.

Mhathung Yanthan, Director, Land Resources Department also spoke on the occasion.

High ranking officials of the Land Resources Department, Officials from other districts, all those who participated the Workshop were among others who attended the program.

Additional Director, Hoto Yeptho delivered Vote of Thanks.

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