The monthly Sub-Divisional Planning and Development Board (SDPDB) meeting of the Bhandari sub-division was held at the conference hall of the Summer House-cum-Guest House at Bhandari on April 10, where officials reviewed developmental activities including the Nagaland Foothill Road project and the installation of smart prepaid metering. Extra Additional Commissioner and Secretary Kilangtemsu reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting and the MLA and SDPDB chairman Achumbemo Kikon welcomed newly posted officers. Kikon stressed the proactive role of the government in the construction, progress and expected timeline for completion and highlighted specifics and the projected amount that may be required for remaining work along the proposed stretch covering about 105 km under the Bhandari sub-division. He called on landowners, public leaders and tribal leaders to support construction of roads fit to be declared a national highway and to ensure an unhindered work process. The Department of Power, Electrical Division, Wokha sensitised members on the phase-wise installation of smart prepaid metering under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Vungthungo L Murry, Sub Divisional Officer Electrical, Sanis, urged village chairmen, gaonburas and councillors from Baghty, Merapani and Bhandari to help educate consumers to shift from conventional metering to prepaid smart metering and outlined benefits such as cost saving, simpler billing, recharge convenience and reduced power theft. The first phase will cover government offices and quarters, the second will include business establishments and commercial consumers and the remainder will follow within a timeframe. Executive members of the Lotha Officers Association, Wokha unit, led by President S Benrio Kithan, attended the meeting and handed over wheelchairs to the Community Health Centre (CHC) Bhandari as part of the association's Reach out initiative to assist elderly and needy citizens. The team held interactive sessions with Bhandari based officers to improve coordination and the MLA and chairman reiterated the urgent need to post a Senior Medical Officer at CHC Bhandari to replace the officer who was recently transferred.