Minister social welfare and parliamentary affairs, Kiyanilie Peseyie described Nagaland Civil Service as the backbone of the administrative machinery of the government.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of 43rd general conference of Nagaland Civil Service Association (NCSA) with the theme “To Greater Heights” at Capital Convention Centre, Saturday.
Kiyanelie urged officers to improve work culture in the government by being punctual and sincere in their duty. He also asked officers not to seek posting only in Kohima or Dimapur, but to accept posting to any part of the state as a challenge.
On the role of NCS in the state, Kiyanelie said that officers held key strategic positions in the state government and public sector undertakings. While ministers and parliamentary secretaries laid down policies, he said the civil servants who implement them and their roles were vital in view of local circumstances and challenges. Speaking as the guest of honour, chief secretary, Pankaj Kumar underlined the need for focus on certain pre requisite skills, which were to be practised and imbibed to meet challenges such as in knowing and following rules and regulations, skill of coordination and policy making.
Pankaj pointed out that project management was becoming more important today, since projects exceeded the state’s resources which was facing financial challenges under the new NITI Aayog system. He called upon NCS officers to acquire greater information and understanding about how projects were to be managed. He also cautioned officers about instability in ratio of government servants to population where Nagaland had the highest ratio as compared with other states in the country.
The huge number of employees posed a huge burden on the state’s resources on account of payment of salaries, pension and work-charged and leaving the government with a limited amount which was getting dangerously low, he said. Pankaj opined that there was need for a serious introspection to right-size the government. In this regard, he informed that a committee would look into the ‘rationalisation’ aspect where some departments had more employees than others on account of “crying for more posts”.
He said the state faced resource problem and there was crucial need to make the bureaucracy leaner with more muscle to deliver. Delivering the presidential remark, NCSA President, K.S. Anden Konyak expressed regret, that towards the end of their service and in spite of sacrifices and services rendered to the state, NCS officers were deprived of career, status and position due to absorption of officers from outside, on deputation to the state.
He said officers on deputation were holding post of Administrative Head of Department in most of the departments which should had been otherwise held by I.A.S , N.C.S and N.S.S officers.
Konyak also pointed out that issue of gross violation of the Rules of Executive Business in two departments namely- planning and co- ordination and justice and law, by allowing the directorates to function as administrative departments deprived NCS and NSS of administrative jurisdiction which remain unresolved till today. He requested the government to strictly implement guidelines for implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in letter and spirit.
Konyak however expressed appreciation to the present government for constituting the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the guidelines for deputation and absorption, and for constituting a committee for the cadre review of the NCS.
Representatives from the associations IAS, NPS and NSS gave short speeches.
The gathering was enthralled through special number presented by NCS Band.
NCSA Treasurer, C. Khanyang Imlong delivered vote of thanks while the programme and welcome address was delivered by Sharon Longchari.
The programme was followed by business session where new NCSA office bearers were elected, Joint Secretary IT &C, Kevekha Kevin Zehol as the President and Deputy Secretary medical, Akunu S Meyase as the General secretary.