This article is not written with an intention of pointing out an accusing finger at someone nor an attempt to bluntly condemn the existing work culture of our society. It is rather an honest attempt of self introspection in generalising the current work pattern or work culture of our society where everyone is either directly or indirectly involved. It is in fact, an exercise on performance appraisals of public servants involving the servants of the past and the present who have played their respective roles in chiselling out a kind of society that we face today in our state.
Out of nearly twenty lakh population of our state, one of the tiniest in the country in terms of its size and population, we have nearly one lakh public servants, that include both the elected and the appointed. It is indeed a massive work force commonly known as the Public Servants, whose members are still growing. By intent, this massive work force is instituted as instruments to serve the nineteen lakh public of our state. Hypothetically speaking, should the nineteen lakh public were to be obliterated from the total population of our state, the creation or the existence of this massive work force will become meaningless as there can be no servant if there is none to be served. Under the Welfare state as we have in our country, numerous developmental programmes are undertaken for the people through the public servants and under such pattern of governance, the public remain the real beneficiaries.
What is seen on the ground may however speak of a different story. The numerous benefits in terms of aids, sanctions, grants, etc., accrued by the state for the welfare of the people at large has so far, on the contrary, profited the public servants much more than its share than the public who are in fact, should have been the real beneficiaries, so much so that a system has gradually emerged where there is a clear divide between the ‘have’ and the ‘have nots’ in our society that passionately claims to be most democratic. The gap of this divide is still widening. Even within the public servant fraternity, apart from the status and influences that one may acquire within the hierarchical structure, the culture of ‘have’ has gradually infiltrated into the system. For today’s purpose, I identify them as Overweights as they live beyond their means. With their lavish lifestyles and unlimited resources, they are often good in giving and the people in general regard them as generous and lucky guys, whereas on the other hand, the honest servants are characterised as unwise and niggardly. While the overweights continue to thrive without qualms, the masses continue to languish under object poverty, neglect and isolation. They accept their plight as a way of life but hoping for better days that may never come.
Such pattern of work culture as explained is impacting adversely upon our society. Firstly, instead of causing serious concern, the society at large has accommodated the system of such omission or commission as a natural phenomena created out of the working system. Secondly, the imbalance that has created the divide is holding our society to ransom, preventing the society from a healthy growth both in terms of economic and social aspects. Such situations have also created an adverse impact upon the minds of the younger generations that does not hold much hope for their future. The public servants owe a great responsibility to the people in eliminating such inequality and imbalances in our society since the public servants are the agencies paid to deliver the services to the people.
On the issue of our state revenue, the annual revenue earning continues to remain below ten percent and more than ninety percent of our funds come from the Central Government. No particular government may be held responsible for such state of affairs but the fact remains that there is a dire need to mobilize resources in enhancing the capacity of our state earning. In today’s world, the pride of a country or a society is measured by its economic power but much less by its claims and rhetoric. The fame and the pride of a society depend much more upon the stability and the prosperity of the masses but much less by demands and claims. The state undertakings such as the Tuli Paper Mill, the Nagaland Sugar and Distillery Company, the Tizit Plywood Factory, the Khansari Mill, the Mechanised Brick Factory and many such undertakings that would have generated employment opportunities and income to the state have miserably failed due to human failures and today most of their names will be found only in the record. The existing Cement Factory at Waziho and the Lakimro Hydal Project has more problems than solutions. These are tragically, not success stories but record of failures. The public servants have a very crucial role to play in rescuing our state out of such situations and create a much more transparent and conducive atmosphere where the mighty as well as the mite can give their best in serving the people.
Tali Longkumer
