Do devt funds reach hill people ?
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 04 2017: There is a growing need to verify whether funds sanctioned by the Central Government and the State Government for development of hill areas actually reach people at the grassroots level or not .

Many analysts and experts have stated that the Chief Minister's slogan of 'Go to the Hills' would be more fruitful if administration in hill districts is strengthened and funds sanctioned for development of hill districts are properly monitored .

With a view to bring about uniform development across the State, the State Government appointed five Principal Secretaries to oversee district administrations .

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Personnel Division Secretary N Ashok Kumar on April 22, Principal Secretaries MH Khan would look after Churachandpur and Pherzawl, P Vaiphei would be in charge of Senapati and Kangpokpi, Vineet Joshi would look after Ukhrul and Kamjong, PK Singh would be in charge of Chandel and Tengnoupal while VK Dewangan would look after Tamenglong and Noney districts .

They were also instructed to monitor projects taken up within their respective districts, resolve ADC related issues and physically meet citizens at their offices at least twice in a month .

However, the Principal Secretaries have their own portfolios/departments and these are additional duties.

As such, they encounter difficulties to pay full attention to their additional duties .

For instance, Vineet Joshi who has been assigned Ukhrul and Kamjong districts is in charge of many departments including Education (S) Department apart from being the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister .

As the Government has not yet annulled the order issued on April 22, it should be assumed that the five Principal Secretaries are still in charge of their respective districts.

But the order is not serving its purpose as the designated officials are unable to perform their additional duties .

Both the Central Government and the State Government have been investing huge amounts of funds in the hill districts village-wise.

But in Nagaland, the investment is done on household basis .

There is a norm in Manipur which permits establishment of a village if there are 25 households.

Once the villages thus set up are published in the State gazette, they are entitled to receive development funds .

Village level investment is done through chiefs if they are inhabited by Kukis or village authorities if they are inhabited by Nagas .

Given this system, there is no guarantee that funds sanctioned through village chiefs would not be misappropriated.

As such, there is growing need for the Government to verify and ensure that funds sanctioned for hill areas reach people at the grassroots level .

At the same time, there is a growing need for strengthening district administrations.

Otherwise, large portions of the funds sanctioned for development of hill areas might be swindled by village chiefs who have their houses at Imphal in collusion with Government officials .

Moreover, the Government needs to verify whether the newly established villages are inhabited or not given the fact that Aadhar/biometric enrolment has been making little progress in hill districts, sources said.

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