Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen warned officers over absences and poor Vision 2030 follow-up, urging discipline and clear action plans.
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DIMAPUR — Taking serious note of senior officers leaving station without formal permission and the poor follow-through on the State’s Vision 2030 document, Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen, on Wednesday issued stern directives to Administrative Heads of Departments (AHoDs) and Heads of Departments (HoDs) to restore discipline as well as focus in governance.
According to a DIPR update, the chief secretary shared those concerns during the first meeting of AHoDs and HoDs for 2026 held at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat conference hall on Wednesday.
Citing instances of several senior officers leaving headquarters without availing leave of absence, he reminded all officers that AHoDs must obtain prior permission from the chief secretary before leaving station, while HoDs are required to seek approval from their respective administrative heads.
Imchen also cautioned officers against attending workshops and meetings indiscriminately, stressing that only those directly relevant to departmental functioning should be prioritised, as frequent absences disrupt routine administration and efficiency.
Highlighting the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the vision of Viksit Bharat, as articulated by the chief minister in a recent Cabinet meeting, the chief secretary directed all departments to chalk out clear strategies, concrete proposals and action plans aligned with these national and state priorities.
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However, he expressed concern that despite the State’s Vision 2030 document being prepared with inputs from all departments, very few had actively pursued or implemented its outlined goals.
He reminded officers that the vision document was the result of extensive consultation and must be taken seriously, adding that his office would soon write individually to departments on the matter and asked them to be prepared.
During the meeting, Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha underscored the importance of mandatory presence of AHoDs and HoDs during Assembly and budget sessions, stating that timely and accurate inputs are essential when departmental questions are raised in the House.
Sinha also urged departments to prepare the governor’s and budget speeches with clarity, precision and innovation, advising against repetition of past achievements and encouraging inclusion of fresh initiatives and forward-looking proposals.
Finance Commissioner Kesonyu Yhome briefed the officers on the status of budget preparations and called for strict adherence to timelines.
He pointed out that while departments had been directed to submit inputs for the governor’s address and budget speech by February, several were yet to comply.
Yhome further raised concern over delayed reconciliation of accounts in many departments, citing interactions with the accountant general’s office.
He warned that unresolved reconciliation issues were being escalated unnecessarily and urged AHoDs and HoDs to ensure their accounts sections remain updated and proactive to prevent financial lapses.