Village council leaders discuss what makes good governance

Dimapur, March 3 (EMN): As part of the week long International Women’s Day programme, the Miqlat Ministry has scheduled various ‘need-based workshops’ along with weaving training programmes which started yesterday, in collaboration with the Seluophe-Singrijan-Khopanala Village Council, and churches, youths and students’ groups.

The organisers issued on Tuesday a press release giving some details about the programme.

The workshop for village council leaders on the topic of good governance was conducted on March 3 at Seluophe village. Members of the Indisen Village Council were the resource persons for the workshop, the updates stated. Along with Tongti Jamir, chairman of Indisen Village Council, four other council members were the resource persons, it was informed.

Tongti Jamir was stated to have mentioned that Indisen village is in the west of Dimapur bordering Assam surrounded by three villages Kacharigoan, Rilan and Aoyimkim and three colonies namely Industrial State colony, Aokong and Lingrijan. He said that till today Indisen shares good rapport with all its neighbouring villages and colonies.

Jamir said good governance is “not just giving orders” but being responsible leaders for the development of the village by means of implementing resources judiciously. He cited examples of how Indisen village 10 years ago had very narrow roads that two cars could barely pass each other. But today with the initiative of the village’s council, the roads are much wider and better, the updates stated.

He was stated to have emphasised on team spirit and unity as “very important” among the council leaders for development and progress of the village.

‘With the development of the village, the value of the land automatically increases,’ he said. He stressed on transparency in using funds and work, accountability in handling available funds. Another aspect of managing villages that he mentioned was the importance and need of keeping the village clean, the press release stated. Today, cleanliness has become a lifestyle for the Indisen village, the press release stated.

Imsutoshi, a lawyer by profession and a VC member of Indisen village, was also stated to have said at the programme that “as village leaders, we carry the village in our shoulder so it is very important to be responsible leaders.”

Giving an instance, he highlighted that anyone from the village “caught in problematic issues and in need of discipline” is encouraged to undergo counselling sessions.

“The village council makes the necessary arrangements for counselling. He also encouraged the participants not to compromise with anything or situation when it comes to the development of the people and the village.”

Further, a member of the Indisen Village Council Tekatemjen was stated to have mentioned that the village was not ‘started by rich and powerful’ people but mostly by low-income people as they could not afford to buy land in the city.

The press release stated: ‘He mentioned that Indisen only has Ao inhabitants and only Ao dialect is spoken in the homes and the village so as to preserve the mother tongue.’

The resource persons stated that youth organisations and ‘quick action group’ or ‘village guards’ are a big asset and support to the council and safety of the village, the press release stated.

There was also open discussion and interaction at the event, the updates stated.