ISTM delegation visits Zhadima village

A total of 30 delegates from the Institute of Secretariat Training and Management, Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, took a tour of Zhadima village as part of their three-day field visit, on Tuesday.
The participants got a chance to experience Centre’s flagship schemes at the state/union territories first hand and took a trip to Amrit Sarovar ‘Ziazia’ project, a community farm pond at Zhadima village.
The team was led by Punit Sharma as captain and course director and other team members included delegation from India’s premier training institute including principals and private secretaries working in Central Secretariat.
The delegation was guided by Block Development Officer (BDO) Seyiekhrielie Rio, who highlighted various projects and also informed them that through the farm pond villagers were able to use the stored water for farming, irrigation purposes, animal rearing and other farming related works. Water at the existing pond was drained in order to expand and construct the pond, in preparation to rejuvenate the water body by monsoon.
After the pond covering 25.859636 in latitude and 94.056956 in longitude was identified to be technically feasible and suitable to impound runoff water, work began in June last year and was about to complete.
He informed that the fishery pond was expected to retain 40 lakh litres of water after completion, as compared to eight lakh litres in the past years.
Later, a short ceremony was held at Zhadima community hall where the BDO highlighted the functioning of the village councils and Village Development Boards through which developmental activities in the rural areas get initiated.
Rio told the gathering that 80% of developmental works in the village were covered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He observed that although the Rural Development (RD) activities were monitored using state-of-the-art technologies, as most activities were targeted in the rural areas, internet and road connectivity issues become a major challenge in the implementation process due to the terrain.
He also pointed out how most villages, like Zhadima village, had no banking facilities making it difficult for beneficiaries of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) as beneficiaries were compelled to travel to Kohima covering over 17 km which was an added expense in the form of travel costs.
Block programme manager BBMU Chiephobozou, Neikesanuo Ziephrü, informed that the NSRLM Block management unit was launched in 2017 across 19 villages under Chiephobozou sub-division.
She highlighted the role of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under NSRLM where Zhadima village has two Village Level Organizations (VLO) including Ruovi VLO and Vikehie VLO, under which there were 18 SHGs and 22 SHGs respectively. She informed that the total community corpus fund of the SHGs and VLO combined currently stood at Rs 17,60,000. tTeam leader and course director Puneet Sharma shared on how the delegation were having wonderful experiences in Nagaland. He described the state as an added value to the course as it less explored comparatively.
The programme was chaired by advisor, Zhadima Village Youth & Sports Organization (ZVYSO) Vizosielie Khoubve while invocation was pronounced by pastor, AG Church Zhadi II, Thepfukuolie Pfüsenuo.
Chairman, Zhadima village council, Neilalhoulie Soliezuo extended the welcome note and vote of thanks was proposed by VDB secretary, Roko Angami.
The delegation also visited stalls set up by the SHGs and witnessed live demonstration of handloom weaving, bamboo basket weaving, traditional pounding of sticky rice, pottery, wood crafting, display and sale of traditional Angami Naga attire and ornaments, local food and beverages.
Earlier the delegation also visited Khonoma village and State Museum at Bayavü as part of their visit.