DIMAPUR, JANUARY 30: The Nagaland state unit of the BJP has expressed concern over the shortage of manpower at the Kohima Doordarshan Kendra (DDK), and has urged the state and central government to look into the matter.
Nagaland BJP expresses concern
A press note from M Chuba Ao, President, Nagaland BJP unit informed that in 1995, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, while implementing the 10% Economy cut, abolished the entire Programme Post (group C non- gazette), along with some Engineering Posts, which included 56 programme Posts and 44 Engineering Posts for DDK Kohima.
Presently, there are four Post Production Assistants, two of whom are from Kendras of other states for a tenure of one year and two locals, with their posts from Guwahati PPC NE. It also employs two Programme Executives, one of whom is deputed from Itanagar and one local, who is on medical leave, the BJP informed.
Regular transmission of DDK Kohima started in 1993 and formal commissioning of the Programme Production Centre (PPC), Kohima began in 1995. At present, DDK runs from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm daily, which includes a daily news bulletin.
The BJP lamented that this acute shortage of manpower has left the Kendra with little scope for enhancement of quality and quantity in programming. The party stated that this has led to the booking of a number of staff on assignment basis, who are paid not more than Rs 6000 per month.
It informed that in recent years, the Kendra has been functioning without a regular Director or Station Director and that Directors on tour were being deputed to the Kendra for only a short period of time.
The party further pointed out that all twelve Production Assistant posts for the Kohima Kendra were abolished and that the PAs working in the Kohima Kendra have come from other states, as a result of which there are “communication problems” with the local people. As such, programme staff, comprising of local personnel, is most required, stated the BJP.
It asserted that the proposed recruitment will go a long way in helping unemployed professionals in Nagaland state.
The BJP further expressed shock to learn that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has sanctioned several posts for DDKs in the NE, and that recruitment was done locally by other NE Kendras, except in the DDK Kohima. If the abolition of sanctioned posts for DDK Kohima was due to economy cuts, why were other Kendras of NE exempted? The party queried.
The Party expressed its dismay to the central government for “step- motherly treatment” meted to Nagaland state. “The Government of India must not forget that Nagaland State was created out of political compulsion with sensitive political issues, whereby it cannot be treated with a complacent attitude,” the BJP said.
It further stressed on the need for the central government to connect the people of Nagaland with the mainland and to build trust and confidence. The BJP demanded that the abolished sanctioned posts be restored at the earliest and urged the Nagaland state government to urgently intimate this issue to the Government of India.
