JIC report: ENLU, ENPO meet today

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 19 (EMN): Nagaland Cabinet on Friday assigned the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) to meet and discuss the issue of Judicial Inquiry Committee (JIC) report with the leaders of Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO).

This was informed to journalists by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio following a Cabinet meeting held at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat, chief minister’s chamber, in Kohima on Friday.

The JIC had submitted its report concerning the Tuensang returnees’ incident few days ago.

With regard to the issue of the regularisation of recently-recruited doctors that had drawn opposition and criticism from health workers, the chief minister informed that the Cabinet has directed the department of Health and Family Welfare ‘not to come up with piecemeal’ information but with all the issues of doctors and nurses in a comprehensive manner so that the state government can decide ‘whatever is to be decided’.

“Our intention is to upgrade healthcare for the public throughout the state, that’s why we are prepared to create posts for doctors, nurses and other supporting staff,” he said.

According to the chief minister, “the other day, the (Health) department did not raise any issue about National Health Mission (NHM) staff, then they did not mention about the service rules”.

Rio said that particular day, officials from the departments of Finance and Personnel and Administrative Reform were present in the meeting but the Health officials presented piecemeal information. “That’s why it got entangled,” he added.

The chief minister further maintained that only after receiving a comprehensive report, a decision would be taken.

According to sources, the Cabinet has directed the Health department to submit a report at the earliest.

It may be noted that the NHM workers in Nagaland had, on June 16, decided to call off their stir for 15 days, following an appeal by minister for Health and Family Welfare to give time to the department to work out the modalities of the demands and come out with a written proposal.

Meanwhile, a member of the ENLU informed that the meeting between the union and ENPO leaders would be held on Saturday (June 20) at 11 am.