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District officials, Lotha Hoho leaders, and village council chairmen at a programme in Wokha district.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Wokha, Nov. 27 (EMN): Every citizen has political rights but that does not mean that people, especially those in leadership must have political interests when it comes to village development, said deputy commissioner of Wokha Orenthung Lotha during a community programme at a village in Wokha.
Lotha was addressing the first all-Nagaland village council chairmen’s conference programme in Wokha. He said village chairmen are important people in the districts as much as the administrators are. But they have to be even more responsible accordingly, he said.
‘Even though everyone has political rights,’ he advised the village chairmen against involving too much in political interests or being hampered by it when it comes to village development and uplifting the society.
The district official encouraged the village chairmen to use their power and authority with wisdom.
Lotha urged the village chairmen to be vigilant and to keep updated with current developments. He advised them also to stay updated with technology. Although not everyone can cope with advanced technology, they need to be ahead of others as they are the leaders of villages and communities, the gathering was told.
Responsibility and concepts of work in the past and ‘old situations,’ and those in the present times are now different, the government servant told the gathering. He urged the chairmen and village council members to stay updated in the new era. Likewise, he urged them to be dedicated and to focus on development as the system now has changed.
The deputy commissioner also advised the community leaders to use the village development funds for social progress. Likewise, he told the village administrations and development boards that if at all they have achieved the government’s plans, they can now focus on individuals in need.
The official expressed belief that social development can be achieved when the individual starts to generate and contribute to the society.
The project director of the Wokha district rural development agency, Thungdeno Mozhui, was the chief host of the event. In her exhortation to the community leaders, she appreciated the event, calling it a historical programme. The official urged the community leaders to be united and to work in unity in taking on challenges. ‘Everything starts small but for the greater interest of all, there should be unity,’ the gathering was told.
Further, Mozhui urged the village chairmen to undertake their assigned duties as people who have been chosen by God to represent the people.
In other matters, she urged for conducting more seminars for the uplift of the villagers. The system now has changed, she said. People from the urban areas and cities are coming back to village economies besides for enrichment of their cultural and identity, she said.
The chairman of the Lotha Hoho Mhondamo Ovung also addressed the event. In his short exhortation at the programme, the leader of the apex Lotha tribal organisation said village chairmen are the backbones of the society.
Ovung spoke about educating the people about work ethics. He urged them to instil the values of dignity of labour, and to cultivate work culture in the society. They are leaders of the villages and are therefore role models of their villages.
Ovung urged the people to strengthen the education system in the villages. Likewise, he urged the community leaders to accomplish their duties and responsibilities. They must provide right judgements, for they are the mirror image of the younger generation and that of their villages, the Lotha community leader said.