Says demands are ‘unreasonable,’ cautions strong action
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy today said that the State Government would not accede to the demands made by the Joint Association Forum (JAF) consisting of the NDMA, ANDMSA, TNAI and PSAN.
Briefing DIPR officials, the Chief Secretary stated that the demands made are “not justified, unreasonable, and amounts to demanding preferential treatment.”
He informed that the State Government had constituted the Pay Anomalies Committee to examine anomalies, if any, arising out of the Nagaland Services (Revision of Pay) Rules, 2017 only.
Subsequent to perusal of the Pay Anomalies Committee’s report, it was observed that though no anomalies per se were directly caused by the said Revision of Pay Rules, the Committee concerned had recommended, in the interest of rationalization of pay-scales in certain cases, for the up gradation to higher pay-levels in respect of some categories of employees.
In this context, the Chief Secretary mentioned that the Revision of Pay Rules of 1984 and 1993 had granted pay-scales, higher than the corresponding ones, to a limited category of employees and this included many of the group of employees for whom pay-up gradations had again been recommended by the Pay Anomalies Committee.
In the case of those employees, recommended by the Pay Anomalies Committee for pay upgradation and were not given higher than corresponding pay scales in the previous ROPs, they were not subjected to any disadvantages at any stage, inclusive of the ROP Rules, 2017, he said.
As such, the Chief Secretary reasoned that upgradation to higher pay scales as recommended by the Pay Anomalies Committee cannot be accepted as it will amount to giving preferential treatment to a group of employees.
He meanwhile explained that if any category of employee has been subjected to any disadvantages with reference to their equal rank employees in the matter of pay-scales in the past, such cases may be specifically projected to the Government for consideration.
“While every Association has the right to voice their grievances in a constitutional and procedural manner, the Government would not tolerate such agitation by a section of employees as is being presently resorted to by the JAF,” the DIPR reported the Chief Secretary as stating.
He meanwhile expressed regret that Government employees have gotten into the habit of “only demanding their rights, whereas their behavior and performance as worthy Government employees have been pathetic.” He said that the patience and leniency shown by the Government has been misinterpreted by its employees as impotence or lack of will to take appropriate action.
The Chief Secretary cautioned that the Government would be compelled to take the strongest action, adding that “there are many efficient unemployed youths who can deliver and perform better than many of the deadwood who are presently serving in the Government.”
Govt cracks whip
Meanwhile, the government has directed all HoDs to report unauthorized absence of individual employees in their respective directorates to the Secretary P&AR with effect from December 5 till further orders. The reports should reach the Secretary, P&R by 2:00pm each working day, stated notification issued by Chief Secretary. It further asked all DCs to compile and send similar reports for all district offices, which should reach the Secretary, P&AR by 11:00am the next day.
Another notification by the government asked the JAF to immediately call off the agitation and resume work, failing which action will be initiated against each erring employee individually.
