It was in 1952 when the present day Nagaland was still part of an undivided Assam that the Community Development Programme was first introduced by the Govt. of India to carry out integrated rural development all over India. The actual concept of rural development through active participation of the village community however began to take shape only during the 7th Plan period and it was only in 1980-81 that the idea of grass root level planning and development became a reality following the enactment of “The Village and Area Council Act 1987” and the Constitution of the Village Development Boards in all the recognizes villages of the state. The origin of the institution of the VDB with the concept of decentralized grassroots level planning in Nagaland was first set up in December 1976 in Ketsapomi village in Phek district by as an experimental basis. On seeing the coverage of the success of the Ketsapomi VDB, a mass campaign was launched since 1980 to expand the coverage of this unique institution throughout the State. VDB is where therefore, the concept of decentralization gradually constituted and institutionalized into the remaining parts of the State with the enactment of VDB Model Rules, 1980. Ever since the constitution of the Village Development Boards (VDBs) in all the recognised villages of Nagaland, the concept of Community Development Programmes has intensified on a large scale. With the direct involvement of VDBs in the planning and implementation of the development at the grass root level, there is no denying the fact that there has been a facelift in them rural economic scenario of the State. Today, the Department is proud to be providing income generating and sustainability service to 1175 VBDs and 2,29,684 households across the State. It is through the involvement of the VDBs that several major schemes and programmes like the MGNREGS, IAY, GIA, SGSY/NRLM, and BRGF are being successfully implemented and its resources mobilised at the grass-root level. 99% of our villages have been connected by roads through difficult terrain, almost every village have community halls and educational institutions, several villages have attained 100% housing coverage and most of the villages now have the basic infrastructure requirements available at their disposal. LOCATION: The Directorate of Rural Development is located below Nagaland Civil Secretariat about 5 Kms from the main town. The Directorate can be reached by Taxi/Mini Bus.
The Department has also a Staff bus which starts from Lerie at 9:00 A.M, halting at S.P Point, Chandmari Junction, Old NST Station, Keziekie, Kenouzou and finally reaches Directorate at 10:00 A.M. The Staff bus leaves the office at 4:00 P.M in winter and at 4:30 P.M in summer.
ADDRESS: DIRECTORATE OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT NAGALAND : KOHIMA
BELOW : NAGALAND CIVIL SECRETARIAT KOHIMA : 797003
PHONE : 0370-2271184 FAX : 0370-2271182
OFFICE TIMINGS:
Summer: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Winter: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Policy Committment of the Department
1. Strive to achieve total transparency in the utilization and managements of funds and all activities of the Department and involving the VBDs in all implementation process.
2. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) implementing in consonance with the enforcement of the section 4 of the National Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (NREGA) and implementing in all the District. The Programme is targeted to provide 100 days employment in financial year to every household in rural areas.
3. Provide household to all shelterless rural BPL/poor people through the IAY scheme.
4. Provide Village level priority infrastructural facility like Schools, Community Halls, Drinking Water and implement income generation activities to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor and improve their living standards.
5. Supplement the public transportation system through purchase of VBD buses.
6. Mobilize rural area resources through implementation of National Saving Certificate Scheme and the MCG.
7. Strive to declare VDB as Non- Banking Institutions.
8. Adopt measures to enhance the activity capacity of VDB.