Newspapers in the state of Nagaland these days are filled with a plethora of reports on awareness campaigns, sensitisation programmes, demonstrations, and skill development workshops. Every week reports of these programmes across the state pours in to all the newspapers and the state pages are awash with it. Going by the number of such programmes conducted in the state it can be perceived that by the now the state has a population who are well informed on Law and Health; and skilled in agriculture and other forms of industry. This trend started a few years back and the most probable reason will be the launch of many centrally funded schemes requiring proof of the conduct of such programmes.
It is always desirable to have such programmes to improve the capacity thus resulting in a strong human capital. However, the current scenario in the state strongly indicates to make one assume that it may not have achieved the desired results. There are neither data nor research available to indicate success stories that may be directly attributed to such programmes. The concerned department in the state for evaluating such programmes is yet to come up with results based on the scientific study of such programmes.
Many such programmes, even though are successful in informing and equipping the citizens, there are many other predicaments in the state that stops people from actually availing or implementing on the information received.
An awareness programme on immunisation cannot be successful unless the vaccines reach the health centres in those areas. Even if the vaccine reaches, it has to be stored properly that requires temperature control thus further necessitating the need for equipment and constant electricity. Moreover, it also requires good transport and communication from the connecting villages for the villagers to avail such campaigns.
A legal awareness programme cannot be termed as successful unless the citizens truly understand that the law governs all and protects all; the law that is prevalent across the country under various Acts, Statutes, Codes and Rules. It is successful when there is the fear of the law to go against it but not the fear of the law in exercising and fighting for one’s rights. The legal route has to be more affordable for the common man and the parallel bodies and other forms of institutions that give alternative interpretations of law in the State has to be streamlined
Similarly a skill development programme is successful only when there are avenues available to implement such learning. Moreover there also has to be an ecosystem developed and existent in the area so that such enterprises will have growth and be sustainable for the individual as well as the community.
Nagaland is a place with difficult terrain and poor connectivity that requires a lot of effort to even make the rural folks avail health benefits. In such a scenario unless concerted efforts are taken to help the citizens not only in gaining knowledge but also by mitigating the difficulties that they face in implementing the gained knowledge the results may not be desirable. It has the ingredient instead to make the people more frustrated and restive; very ironically vindicating the old adage that .
