Nagaland government has undertaken periodic exercises of re-organisation, restructuring and revamping of its departments and administrative institutions.
To the editor,
Since Nagaland attained statehood in 1963, various departments, branches, directorates and administrative structures have been established from time to time to address the emerging needs and priorities of the state. As society, the economy and public needs have evolved, the State Government has also undertaken periodic exercises of re-organisation, restructuring and revamping of its departments and administrative institutions.
Such an exercise may be compared, in botanical terms, to the pruning of dead, weak or unproductive branches of a plant so that the healthy branches can grow stronger and produce better fruit. Pruning does not necessarily mean destroying the plant, rather, it is intended to restructuring what is no longer productive, reduce unnecessary growth and enable the plant to direct its resources towards healthier and more fruitful growth.
Similarly, administrative rationalisation seeks to strengthen the overall government machinery by reviewing existing structures, functions and staffing patterns and aligning them with present –day requirements. In simple terms, different government departments are created to divide responsibilities into specialised areas, enabling the administration to function in an organised, focused and accountable manner. New departments may also be established when existing administrative structures are no longer adequate to effectively address a particular area of responsibility, or when new challenges and developmental priorities emerge.
Over the years, many departments in Nagaland have continued to perform important functions, and their services remain essential to the people. At the same time, changing circumstances may have rendered certain structures, branches, posts or functions less relevant or less effective than they were when originally established. Some departments may also have experienced overlapping responsibilities, duplication of functions, uneven distribution of manpower, or staffing patterns that no longer correspond to their present workload.
Therefore, it has become increasingly evident that the time has come to undertake administrative reforms, wherever necessary besides creation of new branches to effectively address emerging and pressing issues confronting our state.
Enoch Kithan
Dimapur