KOHIMA, JUNE 1 (MExN): The Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department (Administrative Reforms Branch) launched a capacity building training for Additional Heads of Departments (AHoDs) and senior officers at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima on Friday, with Chief Secretary Dr. J. Alam calling for greater familiarity with governance frameworks and administrative rules.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Alam stressed the critical role of senior officers in ensuring good governance and effective decision-making. He highlighted the Nagaland Rules of Executive Business as the foundational document for governance and urged officers to study it thoroughly, rather than selectively. “Many officers just pick and read parts of the rules, missing out on important points,” he remarked.
On service conduct, discipline, and appeal rules, Dr. Alam acknowledged that such rules are not frequently invoked in Nagaland, leading to limited familiarity. He encouraged senior officers to develop a working knowledge of these frameworks so they can guide their departments when needed. “The P&AR Department is there to assist, but officers must also take personal responsibility to understand these basics,” he said.
Dr. Alam also advocated the use of digital tools to improve administrative efficiency. “Tools like Google Calendar and ChatGPT can greatly enhance personal productivity,” he said, urging officers to embrace technology in daily governance tasks.
He added that the training content was carefully selected to equip upcoming AHoDs with knowledge relevant to their roles, including legal, financial, and administrative matters. “When senior-most officers are unfamiliar with office rules or procedures, there’s a risk of taking incorrect decisions,” he cautioned.
Alam expressed hope that the training will lead to “a perceptible change and overall improvement in the functioning of the governance system.”
The mandatory training for IAS, NCS, and Ex-Cadre officers will be held in phases. The first phase runs on working Saturdays from May 31 to July 5, and the second from July 19 to August 30.
Resource persons include senior officials and domain experts such as Vyasan R, IAS, Home Commissioner; Adv. T.B. Jamir, Additional Advocate General; and Celine Asinuo Kulnu, Assistant Legal Remembrancer, among others.
Topics covered during the sessions will include Rules of Executive Business, Service & Conduct Rules, Discipline & Appeal Rules, IT Tools in Governance, Budget and Finance, Treasury, Accounts & Audit, Planning Matters, and Legal Aspects of Governance.
The state government also plans to introduce future training modules with experts from outside Nagaland to expand the scope of learning.
