Dimapur, July 28 (MExN): The Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) has demanded “immediate termination” of all contractual appointments made after June 6, 2016 and requisitioning the resultant vacancies to NPSC for direct recruitment.
In a statement issued by its Media Cell, PSAN stated it has unearthed as many as 32 contractual appointments in the Department of Higher Education, Justice & Law, and Art & Culture. The appointments were allegedly made after the State government had issued notification banning contractual appointments vide P&AR OM No AR-5/ASSO/98, dated June 6, 2016.
The PSAN questioned why the notification was issued “when it was never the intention of the State government to follow it,” while terming the said OM “a mere eye wash” and the contractual appointments made post June 6,2016 as “a complete betrayal of trust and mockery of democratic ideals.”
It further said that in the Department of Rural Development, as many as 21 posts of BDO/RDO/APO (class-I gazetted) are currently under deputation. The PSAN reminded the RD Department that since 2012 as many as 23 vacancies of BDO/RDO/APO have resulted but the department had requisitioned to NPSC only two BDO posts for direct recruitment during the same period. “The Rural Development department must therefore explain to the people of Nagaland as to why so many posts are being filled through deputation when there is NPSC as a recruiting body to fill up vacancies through direct recruitment?” the statement added. “The RD department must also be answerable to the people of Nagaland for violating the Government's standing order on deputation, dated 30.08.2004.”
In response to the Chief Secretary’s letter to the Convenor of PSAN dated July 3, 2017 regarding the above issues, the PSAN has submitted a list of 32 names belonging to Higher Education, Art & Culture and Justice & Law departments whose appointments were made after June 6, 2016 for termination from service. While in Rural Development, the names of 18 who are on deputation have been submitted to revert them back to their parent departments and requisition the resultant vacancies to NPSC for direct recruitment. The release mentioned that names of four more who are also on deputation in the same department will be submitted to the higher authority for similar action.
The PSAN also cautioned the departments of Rural Development, Art & Culture, Social Welfare and Treasuries and Accounts for non-compliance of PSAN's ultimatum despite repeated appeals and agitation. PSAN in its ultimatum dated June 2, 2017 had asked the four departments to cancel the contractual appointments and deputations.
Meanwhile, the Association demanded that two Assistant Geologists on deputation in the department of Geology and Mining should be reverted back to their parent departments and 19 posts of Dy. SPs lying vacant in Home department should be requisitioned to NPSC without any delay.
In the Directorate of Treasuries and Accounts, it pointed out, currently there are as many as 117 sanctioned posts of JDAs, out of which 59 are regular employees, 23 JDAs requisitioned to NPSC in 2016 (exam result yet to be declared) and 26 currently under contract. Here, the PSAN questioned the department why only 9 JDA posts were forwarded to the Secretariat to be requisitioned to NPSC 2017 out of the total 35 vacancies. “From the above calculation, it is clear that the department is contemplating to regularize 26 JDA contractual appointments without requisitioning to NPSC.” Asserting that it will never let this happen, PSAN demanded that the remaining 26 posts of JDAs (currently under contract) also be requisitioned to NPSC immediately for direct recruitment.
The PSAN reiterated that it will not remain a silent spectator until its demands are fulfilled. It also appealed to all Naga civil societies and right thinking citizens of the land to condemn “unethical backdoor appointments” in government offices and to stand for open, free and fair recruitment as enshrined in Article 16 of the Indian Constitution that provides for equal opportunities in matters of public employment, so that every educated unemployed youth would get a fair chance to enter government service.
The PSAN further affirmed that henceforth, “not even a single post in offices under the government of Nagaland should be allowed to be condoned by few vested individuals.” In this regard, the PSAN will keep strict vigil of all the departments by filing RTI queries on a regular basis, the statement said. Therefore, it sought people's cooperation and participation in their campaign against corruption.
The PSAN also thanked all the well wishers for their “unflinching support” in many ways and means, adding “without people's support, the PSAN would not have come this far.”
