Reacting to the statement of ACAUT, criticizing him for his letter to the chief minister pertaining to the Office Memorandum (OM)/service regularization, NPF president and DAN chairman Dr. Shürhozelie in a clarification said his best intention “was not properly understood by the takers. I will not blame anybody for it.”
While admitting that he had written a letter to the chief minister on March 28, 2016, Shürhozelie said it was to remind the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues of the proposals submitted by him earlier.
He said the first proposal was for adopting the Delhi model to have a Cabinet Appointment Committee headed by the chief minister to deal with transfers and postings of officers; and the second proposal was to withdraw the office memorandum on contract appointment and regularization of the services of those appointees after completion of three years.
“It might not be because of what I have said so, but the Cabinet had taken decision banning appointment on contract/ad hoc basis with effect from 6th June, 2016,” Shürhozelie said.
According to the O.M. he said government employees appointed on contract basis prior to the ban notified vide P&AR Department’s O.M. No. AR-5/ASSO/98 dated 06/06/2016 shall be taken up for regularization on completion of three years service.
As practiced, he said after completion of 3 years service on contract/ad hoc basis, a person goes through the “Eligibility Test conducted under the chairmanship of the chief secretary” and only then the services of those who clear the test are regularized against vacancies.
He pointed out that all employees appointed before June 6, 2016 were done so against sanctioned posts with the approval of the government.
“There is nothing wrong in it. It is not backdoor appointment. Government is now carrying out intensive checking on all those contract employees’ appointment and cancelling those who were appointed without government’s approval,” Shürhozelie stated.
While appreciating the wisdom of the government on the issue, Shürhozelie said he would “continue to support the candidates who were appointed prior to June 6, 2016 for regularization of their services after completion of three years”.
“Because they have their right to claim for it as per the earlier order of the Government. My proposal was to remove this order with a date line so that all new appointments will go through NPSC. As per the decision of the Government, 06/06/2016 is the date line now,” he said.
Justifying his stand for defending the present contract employees, he said “all of them are educated Naga youth and not from any other place or age group.”
He said the decision of the government on the matter was fully justified and his advice not to continue contract appointment was also fully justified.
“If one looks at things with positive attitude, I may be on the same track with ACAUT. After regularizing the services of those contract appointees as the first phase, a secured job opportunity for our educated youth is ensured. Positive attitude is an essence of life,” said Shürhozelie.