Workshop on BRGF-Plan Plus underway

A three day workshop on Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) Plan Plus started Monday at the SIRD conference hall, organized by RD, SIRD and National Informatics Centre, Nagaland. 
Speaking as the chief guest, parliamentary secretary, RD and REPA, Pangnyu Phom stated that the BRGF was designed to redress regional imbalances in social and economic development and to bridge the critical gaps in local infrastructure and other development requirements that are not met through the fund flow from central and state governments.
He apprised that the fund would strengthen the governance of village council, town and municipal council, and provide support to improve performance of the village councils, VDBs and urban local bodies.
The VDBs in Nagaland are allotted to undertake village level planning and implementation of BRGF in the state as per the guidelines of BRGF. The funds for the programme shall go from the consolidated fund to the District Planning and Development Boards and therefore, operated in accordance with the VDB rules. Phom also stated that the Plan Plus facilitates planning process by covering the rural and urban plans to generate an integrated district plan.     
Coinciding with the state Government’s declaration of 2008 as the Year of Capacity Building, Pangnyu Phom asserted that training and capacity building programmes would help evolve effective planning at the grass root level for successful implementation of funds. Pointing out that various central programmes could not bring desirable changes in the state, he underlined the need for proper planning and training before implementation of programmes.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Secretary and Chairman, High Power Committee, Lalhuma urged that there should be good coordination between the key departments in utilizing the funds.
He also urged them to concentrate on infrastructure and assets to help the masses, and strengthen the VDBs/local government, which he said would go a long way in successful implementation of BRGF plan-plus He further asserted on the need for transparency in the selection process, and also the need to keep a time limit for carrying out schemes.
Introduced in the year 2006-07 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, the BRGF covers a total of 250 districts across India. It is subsequent to the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana (RSVY).
In Nagaland, the BRGF programme covers Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire and Wokha.
The programme was attended by Minister of School Education, Nyeiwang Konyak; Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Chumben Murry; Deputy Speaker, Ralanthang; Agriculture Production Commissioner, Alemtemshi Jamir; Deputy Commissioners from various districts and other officials. 
Presentations on Plan Plus Software and BRGF implementation in Nagaland was given by representative from NIC, New Delhi and MOKSHA Consultancy Ltd respectively. Welcome address was delivered by V. Sakhrie, Commissioner and Secretary, RD, while the programme was chaired by Velu-o Shijo, joint director, SIRD.