DIMAPUR, Dec 17 - Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today deplored the conflicts and discord among village councils and village development boards in the State, stating that this leads to stalling of projects and dispersal of funds at the rural level.
Asking the village councils to work in unity and avoid litigation, Rio called for unity and cooperation at the village council level.
Inaugurating the new Kigwema Village Council building at Kigwema village in Kohima district, Rio highlighted the important role of village councils in Nagaland. He pointed out that the Indian Constitution has exempted the State from the Panchayati Raj Institution in deference to the Naga customary laws.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to protect, uphold and practise the unique customary laws and traditions of the Nagas. In the village council system, the leaders are nominated on the consent of the village council members, he pointed out.
Rio also shared the difficulties faced by the State Government in planning due to errors and discrepancies in tabulating Census in the past. He said this has led to multiple problems like excessive appointment of teachers and setting up of government schools with disproportionate student-teacher ratio.
He announced that the schools with zero pass percentage during the last three to four years and those with no students would be combined with other schools.
The Chief Minister also harped on an Aadhaar-based biometrics system to avoid voting fraud. At the same time, he highlighted the importance of self-sufficiency in food production and modern farming methods.
