Dimapur, Sep. 24 (EMN): A paralegal volunteer from Legal Aid Clinic, Shamator in Tuensang district has demanded the state’s Rural Development department to implement the directives of certain sections of Village Development Boards (VDB) Model Rules, 1980 (Revised) as notified by the department on November 21, 1989.
The volunteer, identified as Thsantong, in a representation to the block development officer, RD Block of Shamator, alleged that section 4 (a), section 4 (b) and section 7 of the Village Development Boards Model Rules, 1980 (Revised) has not been implemented in Shamator RD block ‘for reasons best known to the department’. He has demanded its implementation within one month.
He stated that section 4 (a) deals with the formation of the ‘general body’ of the Village Development Board (VDB), its composition, its powers and functions; section 4 (b) deals with the management committee of the VDBs, its composition and its functions; and section 7 stipulates the selection of a VDB secretary, his/her educational qualification and monthly remuneration.
Thsanthong said that the directives of said rules have not implemented in letter and in spirit under RD Block, Shamator till date.
“General body meetings were hardly conducted, citizens were hardly sensitised on available programmes and even their constitutionally guaranteed rights under
MGNREGA were discriminated and deprived in every given opportunity from different levels of implementing agency,” he alleged.
He also alleged that many villages were yet to set up VDB management committees; instead, the head gaon bura (GB) or the village council chairman was appointed or acting as ‘chairman’.
Saying that this wilful violation is encouraging amble rooms for misappropriation and siphoning of public fund meant for village development, Thsanthong said under such circumstances, question of accountability and transparency arises because alleged ‘siphoning of funds illegally from different level of agency has reached its zenith.’
He also said that raising concern ‘over rampant corruption and misappropriation’ and asking the implementing agency, ‘including the village-level one-man-VDB-army’, to be accountable only results in shutting the voice of the innocent citizens on the pretext of stopping village NREGS funds and other village developments indefinitely. Thus, the villagers were victimised on many occasions, he said.
While urging the department to immediately implement the quoted directives ‘in the interest of my aid seeker/client’ without further delay, Thsanthong said the clinic (Legal Aid Clinic) has learned that even after discharging their obligations with utmost sincerity and dedication, many VDB secretaries were paid meagre incentives, which is a direct contravention of the said rules.
Therefore, your department is urged to ensure their rightful remuneration as guaranteed by such rules to all the VDB secretaries without any further delay,” it read.
“... this clinic wishes to state that reports on alleged misappropriation and rights violation are being reported by my aid seeker/client from various villages under
Shamator sub-division pertaining to NREGS fund and that, this clinic shall deal befittingly under the ambit of established law if not acted and provided timely intervention,” stated the paralegal volunteer.
