The District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting for Chumoukedima and Niuland were held today, which was addressed by Member of Lok Sabha, S Supongmeren Jamir.
In Chumoukedima, the meeting was held at the DC Office Conference Hall, chaired by Lok Sabha MP S. Supongmeren Jamir.
In his address, MP Jamir reminded the members that DISHA is a platform where every participant carries responsibility. He clarified that the DISHA Committee is structured with the district-level committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner, the State-level committee headed by the Chief Minister, and the co-chairperson at the central level led by the Union Minister for Rural Development.
Jamir emphasized that forming a district committee alone is not enough unless all members collectively identify and address the challenges faced by officers on the ground. He pointed out that while department heads in the district have limited authority, this meeting provides the right platform to discuss the implementation of government schemes, identify execution challenges, and propose constructive suggestions for improvement.
He stressed the importance of fund flow under the various ministries, noting that if there are issues in fund disbursement, the committee can make recommendations to the DISHA Committee. As a non-official member, Jamir said his role is to act as a bridge between grassroots stakeholders and the heads of departments.
Jamir also shared that directives from the ministry mandate that only genuine and eligible beneficiaries, as per departmental guidelines, must be selected for projects. If projects are not implemented properly or do not reach the grassroots level, it would be subject to review and scrutiny, including potential diversion of funds.
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To address existing issues, he said the ministry has set a 30-day timeline to ensure corrective measures are taken. He urged non-official members to actively carry out responsibilities and ensure scheme implementation reaches the grassroots. He further recommended a rotational system for selecting Village Council Chairpersons to attend DISHA meetings rather than appointing permanent members, thereby allowing a wider pool of village representatives to raise their concerns and spread awareness.
Jamir also suggested that NGOs can be engaged by non-official members and that newly formed Town Councils should be brought under the purview of the district administration to highlight issues at both the District Planning Board and State-level DISHA Committee.
He reminded the members that with Chumoukedima being a new district, all stakeholders—both officials and non-officials—must collaborate to effectively follow up on numerous schemes. He informed that there are 97 centrally sponsored schemes under DISHA, and stressed that the committee is not meant to function like an RTI forum, but as a mechanism to find positive solutions and ensure timely project completion.
Deputy Commissioner of Chumoukedima, Polan John, NCS, noted that the last DISHA meeting in the district was held on March 31, 2023. He explained that “DISHA” in Hindi means direction or cause, and the committee is meant to monitor and ensure the implementation of all centrally sponsored schemes and programmes across departments.
He informed that on April 15, 2025, the Ministry of Rural Development had modified the DISHA guidelines to include all schemes under the Ministry of DONER. The DC stressed that DISHA must ensure timely completion, coverage, and saturation of projects, and resolve bottlenecks through coordination and convergence among departments. He also reiterated that DISHA can review grievances, monitor fund flow, and recommend adjustments to scheme designs based on feedback from the field.
Several departments presented updates on their schemes. PowerPoint presentations were given by the Departments of Rural Development, Industries & Commerce, PHED, LDM Chumoukedima, and the District Agriculture Office.
Niuland:
MP Supongmeren Jamir with other officials during DISHA meeting at Niuland (DIPR)
On the same day, MP Supongmeren Jamir also held a consultative meeting with DISHA members of Niuland district at the DC Conference Hall.
In his address, Jamir said the purpose of the meeting was to facilitate communication between district officials and grassroots-level stakeholders regarding the implementation of government schemes. Calling on GBs and Village Council Members, he encouraged them to share honest feedback on project implementation, challenges, and the beneficiaries’ response to the schemes.
The MP emphasized that these meetings aim to ensure timely project completion and prevent fund diversion. He also held an in-depth discussion with six departments: Rural Development, Urban Development, Agriculture, Industries & Commerce, Lead Bank Manager, and PHED.
Deputy Commissioner of Niuland, Sara S. Jamir, in her welcome address, highlighted the unique challenges of the newly created district, which has a predominantly rural population. She emphasized the need for state-level support and handholding to bring Niuland at par with more developed districts.
She also pointed out the strategic geographic location of Niuland, which borders Assam and the districts of Dimapur, Tseminyu, Kohima, Chumoukedima, and Wokha, and holds significant potential to evolve into a key economic and communication hub in the state. She expressed hope that the MP’s visit would catalyse development efforts in the district.
