Kohima, March 13 (MExN): In view of certain rumours being floated on social media with regard to a circular issued by Office of Commissioner, Nagaland calling for voluntary contributions to Chief Secretary Welfare Fund, Home Commissioner Abhishek Singh has informed that the Chief Secretary’s Special Welfare Fund (CSSWF) has been created in pursuance of the decision taken during the AHODs/HODs meeting on February 19, 2016. An Office Memorandum in this regard was also issued in August 2016, Singh said in a press release.
He stated that CSSWF is overseen and administered by an Executive Committee consisting of Chief Secretary – Chairman, Development Commissioner – Member, Finance Commissioner – Member, and Home Commissioner – Member Secretary.
The Fund is utilized for extending relief and for providing assistance to individuals and organizations/bodies within and outside the State for such causes as deemed fit by the Executive Committee, it added.
Meanwhile, the day to day functioning and operation of the CSSWF is monitored by a Steering Committee consisting of the following members: Home Commissioner – Chairman, Secretary NSDMA & RR – Member Secretary, Addl. Secretary SAB (Home) – Member, Joint Secretary Finance – Member, OSD-NSDMA (Home) – Member.
According to the release, the Welfare Fund was set up through voluntary contributions by requesting all Gazetted Officers in the State Government to contribute one day’s salary every year starting from April 1, 2017. “The contribution is purely on voluntary basis. Any Officer who is not willing to make a contribution can write to Home Commissioner through AHoD without giving any reason,” it clarified.
Further, the Home Commissioner stated that CSSWF is audited at the end of every financial year by an internal audit committee which is set up by the Executive Committee.
An annual report on the operation of the CSSWF is presented during the AHoDs & HoDs meetings for ratification as well as decision taken by Executive Committee from time to time, the release added.
Reiterating that the Welfare Fund was set up by Government officers through a resolution and contributions to the same are voluntary, it stated, the Fund has also been utilised for procurement of CD4 machines for AIDS Care.
