Nagaland VDBs air grievances to govt

May 24, 2022 41 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, MAY 24 (MExN): The Nagaland State VDB Association held a meeting on May 23 with the representatives of all 11 District VDBs Association and adopted several resolutions on issues of grievance faced by the VDBs.

The issues ranged from fund flow, the PMAY scheme, sincerity of concerned officers to the issue of taxation and the NLTP Act.

In a press release, the association urged the concerned department to stop diversion of funds and sensitize the VDBs for NeFMS, so that there will be no difficulty and the department can do transactions smoothly. It informed that with the introduction NeFMS process for wages payment under MGNREGA, the Central Government has been sanctioning money for materials cost in accordance with the success of NeFMS of different blocks and districts.

However, it noted that the department has been diverting materials cost of some block/districts to other districts “which is not fair and uncalled for.” It said that this practice will affect fund flow for the department as once fund get diverted, the VDBs will not be in a position to issue Utilization Certificate and even in the MIS the payment for materials cost will not be reflected if the funds gets diverted.

It further called for immediate release of Grant-In-Aid to all the 1272 VDBs which has been kept pending for the past 2 ½ years. The association said that keeping aid money meant for the VDBs for such a long period of time is uncalled for.

With regard to the PMAY scheme, the association said that despite all formalities being completed as per the department’s instruction by way of geo-tagging and the beneficiaries having already installed all structures, till date, the department has not taken any steps for procuring CGI Sheet as assured.

It said that due to the monsoon season, the structures are getting spoiled, and as such urged immediate release of CGI sheet/money to allow beneficiaries to complete their houses.

The association meanwhile expressed concern at the directive of BDOs asking VDB Secretaries to collect money from beneficiaries under PMAY–G Scheme in whose accounts an amount of Rs 88,000 has been credited. It said that VDB Secretaries are not in a position to collect the amount as the money has been credited in personal accounts of beneficiaries and not in the VDB accounts.

It further observed that Project Directors and BDOs are not found in station and this is causing inconvenience to VDBs. The association said it would lodge complaints against erring officers and advised officers not in a position to work with the VDBs to get themselves attached to the Directorate as RDO and allow the competent officers to come to the blocks.

While acknowledging the government’s order to close down check gates, the association expressed hope that the same would be implemented in toto. It asked the concerned authorities to also regulate the prices of goods in the market.

Lastly, the association informed that law enforcing agencies have failed to implement the NLTP Act since its introduction, and said that shops selling adulterated alcohol have boomed in “almost every pan shop in the villages.” This, it stated, is destroying the young generation and doing more damage.

It therefore urged the government to seriously deliberate on the issue and lift the Act if it is not able to implement the law in toto in order to streamline shops selling alcohol by issuing licenses, which can restrain the flow of alcohol.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-vdbs-air-grievances-to-govt