Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 24
Nagaland’s Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar today said it is the duty of public servants to discharge their responsibilities without fear or favour and with a sense of commitment for the public good.
“It can be justifiably said that the government has applied itself to the task of governance on a day to day basis whether it is for maintenance of law and order, or performance of regulatory functions, or delivering services, or engaging in developmental activities,” Kumar said while speaking at the thanksgiving service of two years completion of DAN government under TR Zeliang, Chief Minister of Nagaland here at State Banquet hall.
He said a government worth its salt never sleeps or rests. It is constantly engaged with the task of governance. The chief secretary also challenged the public servants to renew their commitment to work towards a better future for the citizens of the state.
Kumar said it is in order for the government to mark various milestones not only to take stock of the progress made, but also to ponder over how to get the unfinished work done and meet the future challenges.
“A society is able to meet its needs and meet future challenges when it is innovative, merit based and efficient. The government has to play a major role in this endeavor,” he said.
Stating that taking up new schemes and initiatives is one part of this process, he informed that as directed by Chief Minister, an exercise for developing a blueprint for future growth is underway.
He said an equally important role of the government is to deal with areas of sloth and inefficiency, adding that this required controlling the growth of revenue expenditure to free more resources for capital expenditure for better delivery of public services- roads, water supply, electricity- to the people.
Helped by the 14th Finance Commission award, the state ended financial year 2015-16 with a modest lowering of the deficit, he said. “This trend will need to be maintained so that more space is created for public capital spending. Rationalization of manpower in government is a pressing need in which efforts by AHODs and HODs, particularly of major departments, will play a key role.”
