Considered as the most resourceful of bureaucrats in the state, with proven efficiency in administrative skills and planning perspective, outgoing Nagaland chief secretary Alemtemshi Jamir, IAS (1977 batch) demits office on January 31 after 37 years in service and taking premature retirement.
Talking exclusively with Nagaland Post in his residential office Thursday, Alem as he is popularly known, believed that the inherent strength and optimistic buoyancy of Nagas should to grow into development and progress amid issues of insurgency, under development and poverty. He felt that the resilience and optimism should be harnessed, understood and utilized so that Nagas can reach greater heights.
Alem described Nagaland as a “challenging state” compared to other states, as Naga society had to undergo transition from a primitive tribal society into modern 21st century. He said the transition to modernity, with all the advancement and technologies, amidst “insurgency and violence” made development “ very challenging”.
“We are working in an environment where people had an identity crisis, be it ancient tribal or modern people” he said. Alem opined that the crisis affected moral and ethical values of what was right or wrong in the realms of political changes brought by the entire process of parliamentary democracy that was imposed. He said even India floundered while adjusting to British parliamentary democracy and more so, the Naga people.
He however said the best part of working in Nagaland was its people, whom he described as “very resilient, adaptive, progressive and optimistic outlook” and who possessed tremendous human qualities of community love and compassion that have remain unchanged.
His felt Nagas have tremendous potential and advised the present generation to adapt to the processes of change with a clear philosophy amidst confusions. Nagas have to be adaptive to the fast changing modern environment and sitting in offices cannot contribute to the process unless one was innovative and creative, he said.
Alem felt it was essential for a bureaucrat to understand that reformation and restructuring comes under creativity and innovation.
He recalled some high profile programmes which he had organized such as -mission mode programmes; beekeeping, bio resource, bamboo mission and franchising. In this, he said the best brains in Nagaland can be found within the bureaucracy .
Alem felt that officers specialized in a particular field and tasked with mission mode programes, should be given total freedom to operate. He said such programmes do not require creation of new posts or incurring extra expenditure, so officers having potential should be given the opportunity to grow.
He was hopeful that his contribution in reforming and restructuring the bureaucracy through the mission mode programmes would be understood by the younger generation.
Alem considered the 10th and 12th plans as his greatest achievements. He mentioned that in 10th plan he had restructured planning process of the state to go in for commercial scale production, particularly horticulture and agriculture including veterinary, which changed the perception of the departments.
On the 12th plan, Alem said he introduced the concept of urbanization and modernization as thrust areas, keeping in mind the future.
Alem revealed, that the two central themes in the Bible- its two greatest commandments – “to love God and to love neighbors” on which hanged all the laws, were the source of strength to move on. He pointed out that even the millennium development goal were based on “love your neighbor” as the need of mankind.
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