The Village Councils in Nagaland submitted a memorandum to the 16th Finance Commission requesting for allocating funds. The memorandum was submitted on behalf of the Village Councils in the state by Chairman of Chuchuyimlang Village Council, Ao Sanen Pongen on Tuesday at Hotel Vivor during the meeting of rural local bodies with the visiting Finance Commission.
The memorandum proposed the Finance Commission to allocate consolidated fund to the Village Councils annually for utilization in the general administration including office maintenance, transportation on government directives, contingencies, etc. It also proposed to provide monthly honorarium to the Chairman and members of the Village Councils.
The memorandum stated that the Village Councils recognized by the State Government stand statutory entities since the Nagaland Village Councils Act 1978 was ratified and implemented. It stated that besides internal governance, all the recognized Village Councils function as government functionaries in their respective villages for implementing government policies, directives and general activities starting from the administration to other departments, especially the departments that come under the communitization programme.
Therefore, it stated, in order to render better services and more effectively to the government and the public, it required the financial grant. It further stated that the Village Councils are rendering voluntary service both to the government and the general public till date as no funds are allocated to them since the inception of Village Councils in the state.
Chairmen from five Village Councils representing five districts attended the meeting. The Village Council Chairmen who attended the meeting included, Ao Sanen Pongen, Chairman of Chuchuyimlang Village Council under Mokokchung district; Keduolhoulie Houzha, Chairman of Mereima Village Council representing Kohima district; Noklem Konyak, Chaiman of Tizit Village Council representing Mon district; Vandan Erui, Chairman of Wokha Village Council representing Wokha district; and Khuniho Ayemi, Chairman of Khuniho Village Council representing Zunheboto district.