The superannuation issue has become a hot topic for everyone of us today. This issue is been discussed by the cabinet in the government level, at offices, in the streets and at home(s). Even my ten year old child asked me, daddy if you retire now who will look after me when I go to college? Yes, it is a matter of concern for everybody.
1. Retirement is a service matter: Retiring from government service is a service matter, therefore the supplementary rules deals with the retirement of the government servant. In the service rules, the length of the service is not the concern but it is the age of the government servant, because the age of a person will determine the physical and mental activeness and capability of performing the government duties. Therefore, if the government of Nagaland want to change something on superannuation age of government servants it should be fixed by the age and not the service length (33 yrs or 35 yrs).
2. Adverse affects of force retirement: To me retiring from government service by length of service or age does not matter much, but the affects on social, political and economic conditions of the people is a matter of concern. The question is who are going to be affected adversely and who are going to enjoy the benefits as a result of forced retirement.
In my opinion the forced retirement imposed by length of service would affect the poorer section of people mostly grade iv staff, police personals, clerical jobs, teachers and lower grade employees who have joint the service early, but there may be little or no affect to the higher grade employees such as I.A.S/N.C.S/Lecturers, Technical officers etc, as these categories of employees joint service lately.
3. Who are going to enjoy the resulting vacancies: Maybe the intention of the government to consider the length of service is to retire more employees to solve unemployment problems? But what we should think of is who are going to enjoy the benefits at the cost of the poor employees forced retirement. I am afraid; the resulting vacancies of any post could be enjoyed by the politicians, bureaucrats, rich people and others through backing, bribing and with less percentage of post to be filled up through open competitive examinations. Therefore, there is very little chance for the poor people to get such jobs even if qualified. The Government and students community should, therefore, think carefully before taking any decision since they will be facing the music later on. My humble suggestion is that the government should first made rational employment policy to give equal opportunity to every section of the people otherwise the poor people shall be the victims of forced retirement.
4. Functional and Financial problems: Another area of concern is when 30% of Government employees retire at a time, can the government machineries function smoothly and settle the pension payment without any financial problem? Today, out of necessity, many retired Government servants are re-employed by the government by paying monthly salary of Rs 20,000/- or more with all other facilities. It is visualized that when 33 years length of service is imposed as the retirement age, about 20 to 30% of the existing employees may retire in a day. Therefore, if any change is to be made on superannuation age of government servants, it should be fixed by age of the employees and not the length of service of the employees to save the government as well as the employees.
Khinyi Woch
Bayavu Hill, Kohima
