Dimapur, May 26 (MExN): Referring to the issue of superannuation, the Nagaland Directorate Ministerial Services Association today sought justice for government employees stating that the state failing to defend “its wise decision” would divide the ‘Naga house.’
The association met on May 24 in Kohima where the contentious issue of superannuation was deliberated upon. Offering explanations for its stance, the association in a statement today said Nagas in the ‘early 1970s’ did not have enough manpower to man departmental offices and had to employ technocrats as well as white-colored job seekers from other states. So “a vast portion of our state money flew away outside the state in salaries” resulting in “economic drain” the association said. In such a situation, the association said, the NSF has reasons to oppose “longer service life, for the longer service they serve the greater economic impact it is created”. But today, the NDMSA explained, with the advancement in education, the Nagas have enough manpower to occupy all required post in every government department and offices.
The NDMSA explained “now whatever money the government has spent on salaries goes to the hands of Nagas only and it is considered to be the main economic source of the Nagas”. “Therefore, if NSF is working for the Nagas, why should they think to deprive thousands of Naga family holders of their services or salaries! Why the NSF has been trying to cut short the happiness and peace of several thousands of their own parents and uncles by forcing the government to apply a wrong criteria to superannuation retirement of its employees?” the NDMSA queried.
Secondly, the association said, fixing the superannuation age limit or retirement of government employees is purely a service matter to be dealt with by the government only. “The Government has got its own policy mechanism to frame policies. No non-governmental organization (NGO) should dictate the government to determine the destiny of its employees,” the association reminded. However, the government also should not “term the NSF as a militant organization and tend to yield to whatever the NSF has demanded of the government”.
Over the issue of rampant age-tampering by government employees, the NDMSA deferred. If it was the reason for the government for adopting a different criteria (i.e. by length of service in determining retirement, while all other states in the entire country is following the same yard stick to retire government employees), “it is ridiculous on the part of the Government”.
“The matter can be easily checked and done away with the menace if the government has the will-power to do so as the government has all the sources and resources to check such corruption,” the association said. In the process, if anyone, high or low is found guilty of age-tampering they must be dealt with an iron hand, it reminded. “Why should Government throw away the whole basket of potato for a few rotten ones?” the NDMSA queried.
“If the government fails to defend its wise decision, it is certainly going to divide every Naga house as the children going against the parents and vise versa. Children unreasonably want to cut short the happiness and peace of their parents by way of reducing the service life of their parents and their uncles under the pretext of age tempering,” the association said and hoped that the government would deliver justice to its employees.
