Nagaland’s Panel for Review of communitisation of Public Institutions and Services Act 2002, led by its chairperson Banuo Z Jamir, is holding a series of district level consultative meetings in the district headquarters of the state to find out how the communitisation has impacted the developmental processes at the village level.
At one such meeting in Noklak deputy commissioner’s office on Thursday, Jamir, who was the former Nagaland chief secretary, urged the line departments to take views of the people at the village level to ascertain how communitisation has impacted them over the years.
She also handed over questionnaire to all the line departments, asking them to re-examine and give their own views and opinions on the matter on or before October 15.
Jamir was accompanied by member secretary of the panel John Lohe and other officials.
Noklak deputy commissioner Hiazu Meru chaired the meeting while officials from school education, health and family welfare, PHE, power, social welfare, rural development and district administration attended it.
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The Nagaland Assembly passed the Communitisation of Public Institutions and Services Act in 2002 to involve the community in working and sharing responsibilities in the management of public institutions and services with the government in order to make them function optimally and deliver quality services for the overall growth and development of society.
Under the Act, powers like checking attendance of staff, disbursing their salaries, granting them casual leave, maintenance of building etc. are delegated to the village councils and village development boards with an aim to ensure that the people take ownership and management of public institutions and facilities such as primary education, health, electricity, water supply, sanitation, tourism and bio-diversity conservation.
Village councils are responsible for constituting the development boards by nominating members according to the local custom. The village development boards are mandated to formulate village development plans within the annual budget allocation and other funds raised locally.
Former Nagaland chief secretary RS Pandey initiated the experiment in 2001. The Nagaland government was selected for the United Nations Public Service Awards in 2018 for communitisation programme in recognition of its innovative use of rich social capital.