‘Mechanism will be evolved to monitor govt appointments’

CM Zeliang  inaugurates Civil Services Day celebration

EMN Dimapur, April 20 Chief Minister TR Zeliang today called upon civil servants to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the people at the inaugural function of the two-day Civil Services Day celebration at Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Kohima. He said, the day should provide an opportunity for introspection and chalking out future strategies to deal with new and emerging challenges. The chief guest said, state government is committed to fight corruption and bring about peace and development in the state and urged the civil servants to contribute their best towards fulfillment of these goals. He asked them to be honest and fearless in carrying out their duties. He lamented that though Nagaland has highest ratio of government servants to population, many of them are not engaged in productive works. ‘Hence, the effectiveness or output of the government employees is not proportionate with the number of government employees’, he said adding, it is high time for proper census and rationalization of government employees. Stating that it has become a major challenge to control and reduce the burgeoning non-plan expenditure, he said, a mechanism is being worked out to monitor all government appointments including casual and work-charged appointments, and to give every appointee a permanent roll number which will serve as basic identification throughout the service. This number will be generated electronically, in the pattern of Aadhar number, without which no salary bill in respect of any new appointee will be passed by the Treasury. He also stressed the need to monitor and keep track of pensioners. The chief minister said, out of state’s own budget (excluding CSS) around 60 percent is spent on government servants and pensioners, constituting about 10 percent of the population, while around 18 percent is spent on debt servicing, leaving around 22 percent for development works. He said, around Rs 100 crore is spent annually on leave encashment of retiring government employees as most retiring government employees, including those who are habitually absenting from their posting stations, always manage to produce a leave admissibility certificate with 300 days of earned leave to his credit. ‘This would suggest that our leave records are not being maintained properly’. He also said that the state government spends around Rs 70 crore annually on medical reimbursement of government employees. Stating that for government servants, even if they fall sick, their earnings remain the same. He called upon government servants to introspect whether they are giving their best in return to the public. “I want to remind you again that you are ‘public servants’ and not public masters.” Zeliang also noted that the state has been fortunate, since the very beginning of statehood, to have civil servants of high caliber, with courage and deep commitment towards public service. The chief minister released the ‘State Civil List’ 2015 and a ‘Compendium of Important Notifications, Orders, Office Memoranda issued by government of Nagaland’. The chief secretary to the government of Nagaland, Pankaj Kumar, IAS in his opening remarks said that Civil Service Day was initiated by the GoI in 2006 and it is celebrated every year in New Delhi. However, in compliance with the directives of cabinet secretary, the state government has decided to observe the Civil Services Day in the state for the first time, which he said, was a landmark occasion for all the civil servants from various services. This is an occasion for all the civil servants to participate, re-dedicate and renew ourselves while performing our assigned duties, he added. Secretary (Home) & Director ATI, Lithrongla G. Chishi, chairing the programme, delivered the vote of thanks. During the technical session following the inaugural programme, the topics were highlighted by representatives of various departments. These included ‘Overview of State Finances’ by Secretary, Finance Department; ‘Overview of Horticulture Department’ by Dy. Director, Horticulture; ‘IT Services in Nagaland’ by IT Department and ‘Report on Study Tour to Kerala Civil Services Academy’ by ATI. Presentation of success stories by Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency, Music Task Force and Higher Education Department were other highlights of the first day’s programme. The second day will witness presentation on Externally Aided Projects by Health & Family Welfare Department and Urban Development Department. Agriculture Department will present ‘Roadmap for achieving Food Security and Food for all by 2025’. Thematic presentations by Forest Department, Tourism Department and Planning Department, besides livelihood activities in the state under NSRLM by Rural Development Department will conclude the technical sessions. The valedictory function, to be chaired by ACS & Development Commissioner, R. Binchillo Thong, IAS on April 21 at 3 pm, will be delivered by Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar, IAS. Administrative Heads of Departments, Heads of Departments and large number of officials from all departments are participating in the programme.