DIMAPUR, MAY 8 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) today alleged discrepancies in the appointment of Tourism Officers (TO) in the Nagaland State Tourism Department.
A press note from the President of the NPRAAF, Wedieu Krome, citing information revealed through an RTI filed by the organisation, said that against the sanctioned strength of 12 posts for TOs, the Department of Tourism has 17 TOs, showing an excess of five such officers.
It claimed that out of the 17 TOs, only two entered service through the NPSC as Tourist Assistant and Tourist Guide, who were later promoted to TO.
The NPRAAF said that the excess number of TOs can be traced back to a government order stating that employees who have remained stagnant in the same post for 15 years or more should be promoted. Following this order, the government promoted 8 employees to TOs all of whose dates of appointment is 09/10/2014.
Of this, only five remained in the same post for more than 15 years and “their promotion was justified,” it stated. The NPRAAF however said that during this “bulk promotion exercise,” the department promoted another three employees who remained in the same post for less than 15 years. “Thus, taking advantage of the government order, 3 employees were prematurely promoted adding to excess TOs,” it alleged.
The NPRAAF further alleged that out of the 17 TOs, “only three of them have educational qualifications in Tourism related subjects like diplomas in catering and Hotel Management.” Further, it expressed surprise that despite the excess number of officers, Kiphire does not have a TO and the Phek TO is taking additional charge of it.
It further alleged that of the total employee strength of 148 in the department, “only seven of them have qualifications related to Tourism.” Moreover, out of the seven, the department could furnish documentary evidence for only three of its employees having qualified in Tourism related subjects, it added.
The NPRAAF, citing the RTI, alleged that “instead of advertising occupied posts for open competition, the Tourism department resorted to absorbing the services of employees” thereby “depriving employment opportunities for the educated unemployed.” It added that “several cases of premature promotions and absorption of services have led to excess number of officers.”
The NPRAAF demanded that direct recruitment should be held by requisitioning it to the NPSC as per laid down norms for all appointments made as a stop-gap measure for Class- III Non-Gazetted posts. “After which, the said stop-gap measure appointments should be cancelled. The same step should be taken for appointments of TOs.”
It urged that all employees whose deputation services have been absorbed be sent back to their parent department and the resultant vacancies be advertised for open competition as per laid down norms. “The policy of absorbing deputation services is depriving all available opportunities for the educated unemployed youth to be employed,” it added.
Stating that posts of all employees on deputation services are in principle ‘vacant,’ it demanded that direct recruitment be held against such posts.
Further referring to the department’s Engineering and Accounts Service, which has a total of 12 employees, the NPRAAF informed that “all of them are on deputation from other departments.” “Open tenders are normally invited for undertaking various projects which reduces cost to a large extent. However, the Department, by creating this separate section with all employees on deputation, it is creating a liability to the exchequer as salaries and all other allowances as are admissible are being paid,” it claimed.
The NPRAAF said that if at all, there is a necessity for the Department to have this Engineering and Accounts Service section, “then direct recruitment should be held from the entry point. Higher posts may be roped in on deputation from other departments till the posts are gradually filled by promotion from within the staff.”
It demanded that the department recruit employees through open competition instead of requesting deputation services which are mostly absorbed later on.
