DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): The Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) today submitted a representation to the Nagaland State Chief Secretary asking that the government not approve the creation of 13 ex-cadre posts, of which 10 are to be associated with the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
The reperesentation, according to a press release from Nagaland Voluntary Consumers Organisation (NVCO), further demanded the cancellation of an OSD appointment attached to Nagaland House, New Delhi; and expressed opposition to the move to deduct one day’s salary from all government employees towards the Chief Secretary’s Welfare Fund (CSWF).
The NLSF stated that the Government of Nagaland as a welfare state cannot simply take any decision against the welfare of its citizens as a whole. While supporting the new government’s decisions to do away with VIP culture such as banning of VIP escort, removing nameplates, no more Parliamentary Secretaries etc; the NSLF however took exception to the proposal for creating 13 ex-cadre posts.
It may be noted that on March 27, the Nagaland Cabinet had created 13 tenure/ex-cadre posts – seven of which are press secretaries/assistant secretaries or media officers/assistants and yet, all ranked equivalent to Class 1 Gazetted Officers or above.
“In order to facilitate the smooth functioning of the Chief Minister’s Office, a proposal for creation of the following Tenure/Ex-cadre posts have been received from the Chief Minister,” the Cabinet Memorandum issued by Nagaland Home Commissioner Abhishek Singh read.
A separate order signed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Cabinet Secretary Temjen Toy on March 27 meanwhile stated that the Cabinet had approved the proposal for creation of the 13 tenure/ex-cadre posts.
The NLSF said that this move enables a “mere political party worker and citizen who now does not hold any position in government to hold the position/rank of Commissioner & Secretary/Secretary/Jt. Secretary/Class 1 Gazetted Officer in the Government of Nagaland.” The NLSF pointed out that only a few Nagaland Civil Service (NCS) officials could reach the position of Commissioner and Secretary after being nominated as IAS, and that too on the verge of retirement. “Similarly, many sincere and hard working officers retire before reaching the position of Secretary to the Government of Nagaland; to become a Class 1 Gazetted one has to work very hard to pass the competitive examination conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and get promotions,” it added.
It pointed out that the proposal to create 13 ex-cadre posts in the ranks of Commissioner and Secretary, Secretary, Jt. Secretary and Class 1 Gazetted “by appointing mere party workers and ordinary citizens would act as discouragement to bright students and government servants who work hard and render services faithfully.”
It further stated that such appointments would make a “huge dent on the state exchequer and affect the most prestigious and respectful post and status of bureaucracy”. “Instead of wasting public funds or if the government had the money, then why not spend on opening a government law college in Nagaland, repair river belt roads and construct broken bridges, besides providing better health and education facilities to the people?” the NLSF questioned.
Meanwhile, it also questioned the reasoning behind the appointment of a particular OSD to Nagaland House, New Delhi. “Is it that the officers and staff in Nagaland House, New Delhi can’t manage the House without him or could he be the best middleman to do all mischievous things?” the NLSF questioned. It added that the federation “cannot accept” the appointment of the particular officer, who it stated is “a stranger to the Government of Nagaland.”
With regard to the deduction of one day salary for the Chief Secretary’s Welfare Fund, the NLSF stated that “salary is the hard-earned money of government employees and the government cannot simply play with it in the name of welfare fund without considering any genuine cause, reason, relief or disaster.”
The NLSF said that the federation would not stand by if the government attempts to hamper prestigious and respectful positions in bureaucracy, state exchequer, government employees, public welfare, etc.
Meanwhile, expressing its support, the NVCO also termed the government’s decision to deduct one day salary of all employees as contribution towards CSWF as “unreasonable” and further asserted that “monthly salary was the hard earned money” of government employees and “this is their actionable claim.”
