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Correspondent KOHIMA, AUGUST 23
The new office building of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Kohima was inaugurated today by parliamentary secretary for RD & SIRD, C.L. John. Located adjacent to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the four storeyed new office building with 20 rooms is reportedly constructed at a cost of Rs.1.53 crores approximately. Speaking on the occasion, parliamentary secretary for RD & SIRD, C.L. John emphasized that the department staff had to be regular and sincere in their work in order to help the department as well as the people of Kohima district to progress. While maintaining that it will be difficult at times to work in a department which is under constant pressure from various quarters, the parliamentary secretary called upon the staff to rise to the occasion and dedicate themselves for the upliftment of the rural areas of the district. He also urged the DRDA team to be disciplined and humble so as to become an exemplary unit, not only for people coming from rural areas but also for other departments to follow. Pointing that there are many people who come seeking “easy money” from the rural development department, John said the staff should execute sincere duties and inculcate “work and eat” culture to the people. He also lamented that the beauty of most good office buildings in Nagaland last for just about one year due to low maintenance and lack of civic sense of the people. He expressed hope that the staff of DRDA will uphold cleanliness and conduct timely maintenance in their new office premises for others to follow suit. Commissioner & Secretary RD, V. Sakhrie in his speech, urged the staff of DRDA Kohima to work with a team spirit to uplift people of the rural areas. “What cannot be achieved individually can be achieved collectively with a team spirit,” he said. He also called upon the staff to re-dedicate themselves and work with a clear vision and strong determination for successful implementation of all the programmes under DRDA. He encouraged them to strive for making Kohima district a model DRDA. Also addressing the gathering, Director RD, Metsubo Jamir said the department of rural development has now expanded to 74 blocks in the state and urged upon all the officers and staff of the department to be accountable to the people. He also sought cooperation of the VDBs to deliver justice to the people of the state. Metsubo also disclosed that DRDA Kohima may perhaps be the last DRDA office to be inaugurated in Nagaland as the Ministry of RD at the Centre has decided to disband DRDAs into state and district level agency soon. He explained that presently, the RD secretariat and the directorate are under the state government whereas the DRDAs come under the central government and are funded on an 80:20 basis. The RD director said the process has been examined not only for Nagaland but all over the country, where the Union Minister for RD has expressed that DRDAs need revamping and will be replaced as state offices. “DRDAs are likely to be changed into District Rural Development office and the project directors may be designated as District Rural Development Officers,” Metsubo said. The inaugural programme of the new DRDA Kohima building was attended by parliamentary secretary Housing & Treasuries & Accounts, Vikho-o Yhoshii, parliamentary secretary for Labour & Employment & Land Revenue, Dr. Nicky Kire, Deputy Commissioner Kohima, Honje Konyak, officers and staff of department of RD, district administration officials, VDB members and VCCs among others.