Editor,
On November 11, 2017, I went to visit my adopted village after a long time and was surprised with the developments in the village. Where there was once a dirt road, it was now all blacktopped. Previously in the rainy seasons, I had to park my car and travel on foot for at least 30 mins to reach my destination as the road was motorable only on four-wheel drive but today one can travel even with a sedan. I thought the local MLA had done a commendable job only to be corrected later that it was the MNREGA effect. Although the local MLA did chip in here vide the MLA–LADS, yet I was told that the MLA–LADS roads lasted one season while the MNREGA roads are still holding up even after two years and I was easily able to travel at 40KM/hr with my hatchback.
On reaching the village I saw many new CGI sheet roofs on plots of lands where it was once all farmland. I thought the human population had exploded, but as it turns out MNREGA has provided the village with many new tin roofs for different purposes. Most households in the village now have their own living rooms, all sponsored by MNREGA. Many families were provided financial assistance to start farming activities like poultry, piggery, silkworm rearing, etc. A small amount for a start-up was provided. Where there is a success story more funds were provided for expansion. Very recently they were also provided financial assistance for cattle farming [and the work for the same has just started and is progressing by the looks of it]. I am hopeful perhaps in the near future we will be self–sufficient in livestock and meat production.
My guess is the government is working very hard to motivate people from the village to not move to the city where jobs are now scarce. And this is done by providing strong financial assistance and technical knowhow though various training, free of cost to the beneficiaries, in the state wherever possible and also many times outside the state where the training facility is not available locally. Thanks to MNREGA, honest Government officials and the village authorities who performed their task diligently. People need to understand that if they work to develop their area/locality/village the ones who will reap the benefit are their children and grandchildren and the future generations that follow [if, the benefits are not reaped immediately]. Now it all depends on the respective village authorities and members concerned to decide on how the scheme is to be utilised. I am no expert here but the general feeling is villagers now do not need any more MLAs; all they need is MNREGA, a clean, honest BDO and a group of dedicated, selfless, honest village authorities. It is time people stand up and rise by themselves and for themselves.
Then on Monday (Nov 13, 2017) your paper carried HH Mohrmen’s piece, “Time to do away with MLA Scheme for a fair election”. Well, I thought, this couldn’t come at a better time. Earlier, I had heard a story that the MLA-LADs was conceptualized in the abode of the clouds by none other than the famous (late) BB Lyngdoh. This visionary saw that constituencies whose representatives are not on the ruling side or perhaps who are not privileged with a cabinet berth lack funds for much-needed development. So he conceptualized and started the MLA-LADs. The vision was clear, clean and honest – sharing of funds for overall development. But men’s hearts and minds are easily corrupted. And as in all cases, the visionary’s vision and of the ones who follow them are never in sync. Somewhere along the way, as time passes the vision slowly faded from people’s minds and went haywire. The funds were misused and abused which perhaps has led to the corrosion we see today. I wonder then of what use is the local MLA if he is not doing anything for his own people who elected him. Sometimes I begin to wonder who is really against the ‘ri and the jaitbynriew’ – is it the ‘outsider’ who provides us with so much opportunity or the ‘insider’ whom we so lovingly elected to represent us, stand for our rights but has backstabbed us instead.
I love reading Mohrmen’s articles, but this time I beg to differ on the one point where it is said that the root cause of all evil is the MLA-LADs, for in doing so, the onus of corruption and misdeeds is placed on the funds rather on the character of the person who is its custodian. With that said, perhaps as every right-thinking citizen agrees, the MLA-LADs should be scrapped. Not to put too much onus on our local MLAs, let us just say that the MLA-LADs has outlived its usefulness. As someone said – the writing on the wall is “Its time is up”.
Yours etc.,
Pyntngen Nongpluh,
Via email