Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan launched across Nagaland to deliver welfare schemes to tribal villages.
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DIMAPUR/WOKHA — Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), a nationwide initiative to extend government schemes and welfare programmes to tribal communities across 549 districts in India, was launched in various districts in Nagaland. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, officially inaugurated DAJGUA at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Wokha village, on Tuesday.
Wokha: In Wokha, the Union MoS was accompanied by MLA Y Mhonbemo Humtsoe and Advisor to the Chief Minister, Dr. Chumben Murry.
The campaign, scheduled to run across Wokha district from June 17 to July 2, will cover 53 villages divided into seven blocks. Various developmental activities will be undertaken in each block during this period.
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Addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh highlighted the Northeast’s transformation over the past decade, citing major infrastructure developments, including improved road networks and airport facilities. He credited this progress to focused government efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has visited the region over 70 times since taking office.
Recognising Wokha as a biodiversity-rich region, he described it as “the land of plenty”, stressing the need to harness local resources to contribute to India’s overall growth. He noted past government neglect of the region but reaffirmed the current administration’s dedication to unlocking its potential.
He discussed key infrastructure concerns with local legislators, including the need for improved highways and addressing other local grievances. He assured that the government would work to integrate technology with local enterprises, particularly promoting technology-driven start-ups in fruit and food processing under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.
He also proposed that the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) support the construction of a legislative building in Nagaland.
Encouraging youth to embrace technology-driven agriculture and innovation, Dr. Singh highlighted the potential for start-ups in fruit production, food processing, and sustainable enterprises. He also advocated for women’s self-help groups (SHGs), emphasising their integral role in rural communities and national development.
During the programme, the Wokha Village Council submitted a formal representation to Dr. Singh, requesting the upgradation of Government High School, Wokha Village to a higher secondary school. The proposal, approved by the Wokha District Planning and Development Board in November 2022, has yet to see substantial progress.
Expressing concerns over the delay, the council emphasised that the upgradation was crucial to meeting students' educational needs, citing financial hardships faced by families forced to send children outside the village for higher education. They appealed for Dr. Singh’s intervention to expedite the approval process.
President of the Wokha Village Students’ Union, Chipen Kikon, described the minister’s visit as a symbol of unity between local communities and national leadership. He underscored challenges such as poor road infrastructure, limited access to higher education, and unemployment, reiterating the call for the government to upgrade the school to a higher secondary level.
Following the launch, Dr. Singh visited stalls set up by various departments, interacted with officials, and shared suggestions for improving and promoting local produce. He also distributed planting materials to farmers to encourage agricultural development.
Dimapur: DAJGUA was launched at the Multi-Purpose Building in Thahekhu village, Dimapur, during which the keynote address was delivered by Dr. Tinojongshi Chang, Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, who highlighted the government’s commitment to empowering tribal communities and ensuring the saturation of welfare schemes in tribal villages.
He said the programme aims to cover village-to-village outreach initiatives and is being carried out across various districts of Nagaland, further aiming to take welfare schemes and key services directly to the grassroots, according to a DIPR report.
He informed that 17 line departments are actively participating in this extensive awareness campaign, with a strong focus on door-to-door outreach.
Mokokchung: In Mokokchung, the launching programme was held on June 16 at Ungma Council Assembly Hall, Mokokchung, with Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Ajit Kumar Verma, as the special guest.
Speaking on the occasion, Verma said that during the campaign the services of various departments will be showcased, and the public will be able to directly access and avail all the welfare schemes and benefits provided by the concerned departments.
The DC stressed the need to disseminate information about the campaign to the villagers so that not a single person is left out and urged the village council and stakeholders for support and cooperation to ensure the success of the DAJGUA campaign in the district.
Noklak: The launching programme of DAJGUA for Noklak was held at the New Pangsha Council Hall, attended by EAC of Noklak, Apuloka H Sumi, along with officials from various line departments.
Speaking at the event, Apuloka highlighted the aim of the Abhiyan, which is to bring development and progress to tribal villages through the coordinated efforts of different departments.
He encouraged the villagers to take full benefit of the scheme and work with officials to ensure proper implementation. He highlighted that the main aim of this campaign is to bring service delivery to their doorstep.
Medziphema: Meanwhile, a meeting regarding the implementation of DAJGUA at Medziphema sub-division was held at the conference hall, City Centre, Medziphema.
The meeting, chaired by ADC Medziphema, P James Swu, deliberated on conducting an Awareness and Benefits Saturation Camp on June 24 at City Centre and decided on the launch of DAJGUA.
The chairman distributed the scheduled work to all departments and urged them to make necessary arrangements for the awareness-cum-saturation camps according to their respective government schemes.
The scheme is set to be implemented in nine villages within the Medziphema sub-division and benefit the local tribal communities.