Advisor for Agriculture, Mhathung Yanthan, visited Old Aree Village on February 12 as part of a public discourse program focused on community development and welfare. The visit included interactions with various government departments and the inauguration of several development projects, including a community hall and an agricultural product collection store. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner of Wokha, Vineet Kumar, along with heads of various departments (HODs). The projects were completed under the initiative of Mhathung Yanthan.
During the visit, the Advisor explained that bringing the HODs to Aree Village was intended to allow the community to express their concerns and learn about the various government schemes and plans available to them. It also served as an opportunity to review the progress of departmental work in the village. Several key issues were discussed and addressed during the program. For the Rural Development and MGNREGA schemes, job card-related concerns were resolved. In the Health and Family Welfare department, staff irregularities were discussed, with assurances that staff would now be stationed regularly.
In the Education department, it was revealed that 48 students were enrolled at the Aree Govt Primary School to which Advisor urged teachers to lead an enrolment drive so the school could be upgraded to a high school. District Agriculture Officer stated that N Longidang, Humtsoe, and old Aree as has been identified as three aspiration villages and urged the formation of two additional self-help groups at old Aree village. Villagers were also encouraged to take advantage of benefits under the PM Kisan scheme.
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The Advisor also inaugurated a community hall cum guest house at New Aree on the same day. In his speech, he encouraged villagers to express their grievances openly and focus on collective community welfare rather than personal interests. He emphasized the importance of unity, balance, and inclusivity in building a stronger community. He also thanked all departmental members for accompanying him and expressed hope that their visit would benefit the village, calling for continued support from all departments.
Deputy Commissioner Vineet Kumar addressed the gathering, emphasizing resilience and hard work. He encouraged the villagers not to let the remoteness of their location hinder their ambitions, stating, “Tough places create mentally tough people,” and urged them to strive for excellence in everything they do.
The Advisor and Deputy Commissioner of Wokha also visited the school at Old Aree and interacted with the teachers and students. The teachers mentioned that there are currently nine teachers, but the school is lacking a Hindi teacher. In response, the Advisor assured them that a request for the appointment of a Hindi teacher has already been made.
