PDA hoists welfare flag high with Common Minimum Programme

Accountability, poverty alleviation, and employment in list

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 9 (EMN): The People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) has released a 16-page Common Minimum Programme (CMP) — a ‘broad guideline’ highlighting some key welfare areas the goals to which the alliance has assured to pursue and accomplish during its tenure. An objective statement listing out the commitments, which include legislating anti-corruption mechanisms, was released on Wednesday in Kohima.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio along with Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Nagaland unit Visasolie Lhoungou, and ministers G Kaito Aye and Tongpang Ozukum released the CMP.
Rio has asked all the leaders of the coalition to read it and be guided by it.
The PDA has made clear that it supports early resolution of the Naga political issue through a politically negotiated agreement that honours the history and political rights of the Naga people, and a solution that is inclusive and acceptable. The government has assured that it will not come in the way of any agreement. Rather, it will pave way for an alternative arrangement that might be required for implementation of the political agreement.
Transparency and good governance
The PDA has stated that it will draw up anti-corruption laws and put in place mechanisms to combat corruption and instate transparency; institute committees to review and examine ‘award of tenders’ in the government.
The government will establish at the district and state levels public finance management systems to monitor ‘projects,’ ensure systematic reforms and implementation of e-governance with an appropriate ‘G2P’ (government to people) and ‘P2G’ (people-to-government) interface.
Further, the government will strengthen personal information management system (Pims) and link it to a central database. It is not only to enhance administration but also prevent proxy and ghost employees. It will also activate Quality Control board and engage third-party monitoring on major projects.
The PDA assured ‘enhancing the working of the Judiciary to ensure speedy justice.’ It will be done by modernizing courts, setting up fast track courts, and providing free legal services to the poor and the needy.
Likewise, the government will bring about reforms in the Police department through modernization and provision of modern equipment; make structural changes by way of equipping and training the police in riot control; set up women police stations in all the districts; upgrade intelligence systems and cybercrime cells.
Education
In education the PDA assured to release students’ scholarship on time besides release teachers’ salary timely.
The government will set up government medical colleges, and engineering colleges in the lines of the Indian Institute of Technology; law, and Information Technology and music colleges and ‘turn them into centre of excellence including the present Nagaland University; ‘twinning’ colleges with institutions that are outside the state or abroad.
While assuring to implement the Right to Education in letter and in spirit and introduce e-smart classrooms, the government has also stated to provide student insurance for illness or death outside the state; introduce insurance policies for students studying outside the state.
Eastern regions of state
The PDA has stated a commitment to pursue development of infrastructure for administrations in the lines of mini-secretariats in the region. Said goal will be pursued to bring administration to the doorsteps of the people and improve overall delivery mechanism, the PDD stated. A committee comprising government representatives, and Civil Society will be set up to recruit government vacancies as well.
Meritorious awards, it assured, will be instituted for the eastern region in the fields of academics, sports literature, and arts among others; banking and financial services will be expanded; establish and upgrade the international trade centres along the international borders; upgrade infrastructure for schools and healthcare centres as part of the ‘transparent policy.’
Youth employment and poverty alleviation
The PDA has assured to promote private entrepreneurship in the technical and services sector with adequate government support and schemes; map the youths’ talents to lead them to appropriate vocations; promote and implement business start-ups for youths through schemes.
The government has assured that it will by ‘all means’ uplift all Below Poverty Line families to the Above Poverty Line level and undertake ‘result-oriented poverty alleviation programmes.’
Women and children
More in the welfare sector: The PDA has assured to implement all national programmes established for women and children’s security and welfare in the state. Special attention will be given to education, skill development and employment of the girl child.
Priority, the state assured, will be given to women healthcare and security besides special opportunities for women in the implementation of welfare schemes in the rural and urban areas.
The differently-able
Reservation quota, the PDA stated further in its commitment, said will be given to the differently-able in educational institutions and employments; help desks will be set up in all government offices for them besides instating a ‘door delivery system’ of processed documents.
Likewise, care centres for the differently-able will be established from where they will be given appropriate skill development trainings for self-employment and sustenance. State ID cards shall be issued to all specially-able to avail government schemes easily and special facilities shall be provided in all public institutions, the commitments stated.
Senior citizens
Further, the ‘amount’ (of funds) for old age pension scheme will be increased, and medical facilities will be made free for all senior citizens in government hospitals, the state assured. Again, free passes to government transportation for all senior citizens has been assured.
The PDA also stated to employ senior citizens as part-time salaried volunteers to engage in contributing to the society by engaging their assistance in implementing government schemes.
Meritocracy
The PDA government has assured support to ‘meritocracy’ and ensure that merit is rewarded and hard work is recognized. A culture of meritocracy will be promoted by ensuring transparency, merit, fairness, and ‘delivery of justice’ in the functioning of the government.
The government informed that there were several other areas that need to be given focus. They have been elaborately highlighted in the respective manifesto of its allies comprising the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist People’s Party and the Janata Dal (United).
The commitments given in the manifestoes, it assured in the CMP, shall be pursued and given utmost importance as ‘we endeavour’ to bring about all-round development and economic growth in Nagaland. It has urged all the sections of the state’s people to step forward with support to the state’s government to improve the people’s overall welfare.