Title:
LINKAGE OF TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH A COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NAGALAND

Authors:
Dr. Merensangla Longkumer, Prof. A. K. Makar

Volume - 2 Issue - 3, Pages - 2719-2732

Abstract:
Nagaland is a diverse state with 16 major tribes, each having their own distinctive dialect, customs and traditions and even the system of governance. So it is rightly called the "Land of festivals". Since time immemorial, Naga villages have strong local institutions (Village council and Village Development Board) that look after the entire affairs of the village starting from the administration, settling disputes, development efforts in the village. Every village has a Village Development Board (VDB) answerable to the Village Council (VC).The Government of Nagaland enacted the "Village Council Act of 1967" through which every recognized village now has a village council. The first ever externally-aided project in Nagaland- Nagaland Empowerment of people through Economic Development (NEPED), began in 2001, focused on revolving fund, market linkages, capacity building and cultivation of cash crops. The series of activities aimed at improving people's economic stature while utilizing their resources in a sustainable manner. The dominant component of the project is to put in place a revolving credit system at the grassroots level through which the farmers can implement agro forestry schemes for their economic development and thus attain a measure of empowerment. Here the VCs/VDBs are built up and made to function as grass-root level credit institutions, operating the credit mechanism. The present study was conducted in three districts of Nagaland. Farmers avail loans to grow environment-friendly cash crops within their traditional agriculture cycle. Thus the findings revealed that this had a positive effect on the economy, lifestyle and livelihood of the farmers. This output is therefore, the major component of the project.

Cite this Article:

[Longkumer, Merensangla, Dr., and A. K. Makar, Prof. "LINKAGE OF TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH A COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NAGALAND." International Journal of Social Science & Economic Research 2.3 (2017): 2719-732.]