Dimapur, August 14 : Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee today welcomed the decision of the state government to hold election for urban local bodies with 33% reservation to women.
The NPCC also recounted that council members in the past have failed to perform their duties while NPF government backtracked on implementation of 33% women reservation”.
“At long last, good sense has prevailed upon NPF-led DAN government in agreeing to provide 33% reservation to women in Urban Local Bodies. 33% reservation for women was made through the Nagaland Municipal (First Amendment) Act, 2006 but NPF govt dithered and backtracked in its implementation.”
A statement issued by Media Cell, NPCC said, after elections to ULBs were postponed on one pretext or the other including the issue of women reservation since 2010, NPF government had ‘illegally’ appointed their party workers in the guise of advisors and “these people without any accountability or even an iota of moral conscience looted and destroyed the institution of local bodies.”
The NPCC said, majority of the council members in the past barring some the few honest have failed to perform their duty. “While busy taxing every item for themselves, they could not even fill potholes, provide garbage disposal or clear clogged drains. They were unaware that the duty of Council is to legislate laws, frame guidelines and rules. Rather, they sat together with illegal tax collectors in the gates and people were subjected to multiple taxes on all items from multiple points.”
“To make a happy living place and boost the growth of economy, employment, we need Council(s) that can provide safety and security to life and property of people. We need Council that may facilitate entrepreneurs and traders. We therefore expect free and fair election to be conducted. We also expect voters to elect upright leaders to serve the welfare of common people and not rascals, rogues and freebooters with low calibre to avoid squabbles amongst themselves for power.”
The NPCC said, it will be a litmus test for Chief Minister TR Zeliang and his government as to whether they can really assert their authority in implementing the 33% women reservation in ULBs or once again succumb to the pressures of some civil societies who have no accountability towards the people they claim to represent.
