A district-level convergence meeting was held in Serchhip to discuss better coordination among government departments so that various central and state government schemes can be implemented more effectively and deliver greater benefits to the public.
The meeting was chaired by Serchhip Deputy Commissioner Paul L. Khuma, who stressed the importance of joint efforts among departments to ensure that ongoing government programmes reach people in a more meaningful and useful manner. He said that proper coordination among departments is necessary so that schemes are implemented in a planned way and people are able to make full use of the benefits provided by different programmes.
Addressing the officials present at the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner said that when departments work separately, there is often duplication of efforts and the overall benefits to the public may not be fully realised. He urged all departments to give priority to convergence, share information regularly, and work together so that the advantages of various development schemes can reach more people across the district.
During the meeting, Dr. Malsawmtluanga Fanchun, Project Director of the District Rural Development Office (DRDO), Serchhip, presented details about the different employment opportunities available under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He explained the various types of works that can be taken up under the scheme and suggested ways in which different departments could coordinate their activities to maximise the benefits of these works for rural communities.
Officials said that coordinated planning of projects under MGNREGA with other departmental programmes can help create durable assets, improve infrastructure, and generate employment opportunities at the local level. The meeting also discussed the need to identify areas where departments can jointly plan and execute development works, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and that schemes complement each other instead of working in isolation.
Senior officials from several departments attended the meeting, including representatives from Public Works Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Fisheries, Sericulture, Local Administration Department (LAD), Women and Child Development, Irrigation and Water Resources, Land Resources, Agriculture, Soil and Water Conservation, and the Rural Development Department.
Officials at the meeting agreed to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and to hold regular review meetings so that the progress of convergence activities can be monitored. They also emphasised the importance of field-level coordination among departmental staff so that development programmes can be implemented smoothly and without delay.
