State bids farewell to chief secretary Toshi Aier

DIPR DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 20 THE State government accorded a befitting farewell to outgoing Chief Secretary Toshi Aier at VIP parking, Nagaland Civil Secretariat Kohima on Saturday. Aier will demit office on December 31 In his farewell address, Aier said in his 26-and-a-half-years of service he had been through a very challenging situation as the Finance Commissioner when the State had the adverse impact of the 13th Finance Commission of India. He recollected the different situations he had been through in his service time as a bureaucrat but said he would only carry the good memories with him. He also said the team members of the State Finance department, including action taken by former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, at a time when the State was in a very bad financial shape were laudable. This was most crucial and challenging, he stated. The outgoing chief secretary, however, said one should be well equipped and should deliver justice as a public servant. He said success comes with good team and called for collective responsibility of all the Nagas. Aier also stressed that the State should no longer go on without generating own revenue and resources. Representatives of various associations gave farewell speeches describing the outgoing chief secretary as a distinctive personality who has many good qualities not easy to find in many others. He was easily approachable and was a decisive and able leader, they stated. Some of his remarkable achievements were shaping SIRD into its present good form. His close association and contributions to district administrations were remarkable. Home Commissioner who spoke on behalf of the State government said the outgoing chief secretary, Toshi Aier, has a compassionate admirable trait and was well informed. He was a leader who looked at the background and could tackle all complex problems. Various associations and departments felicitated the retiring officer. A special song was presented by a group of officers in the secretariat while a special power point presentation by the Tourism department took the audience down memory lane of the outgoing chief secretary. Additional chief secretary & commissioner CJ Ponraj, who chaired the farewell function, delivered the welcome address while Principal Secretary & Home Commissioner Pankaj Kumar delivered a speech on behalf of the government. Farewell speeches were also delivered by the representatives of IAS Association, NCS Association, NSS Association, IPS Association, NPS Association, IFS Association, Directorates, district administration and Grade-IV Association. A bon fire was lighted by the chief secretary followed by dinner.