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Dimapur, Nov. 10 (EMN): The Nagaland unit of the National People’s Party (NPP) has sought honest endeavour from the state government to ensure that only people with no past history of corruption is appointed as the chairperson and members of the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) adding that person heading the board should be of upright character and efficient in handling such high office without bias or nepotism.
It has lauded the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) for the initiative in pressurising the state government to constitute NSSB and felt that it is on the right track by setting up a committee.
An update from NPP Nagaland media cell stated that a notification to this effect was also issued by the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) in August 2020 wherein it mentioned that the NSSB would function as per the NSSB Regulations 2020. It also notified that all direct recruitment of Group-C posts presently recruited by the departmental recruitment board as per P&AR’s office memorandum dated October 26, 2017, would be recruited through the NSSB.
NPP Nagaland felt that a proper constitution and functioning of the NSSB would largely depend on the honesty and integrity of the state government and its top functionaries especially the P&AR department. It stated that NSSB should not be the proverbial ‘old wine in a new bottle’ if corruption has to be curtailed. It cautioned that NSSB would become just another tool in the hands of few corrupt individuals to further their corrupt goals of nepotism and favouritism if it is constituted in an autocratic and bias manner in favour of a particular tribe or community.
NPP Nagaland, therefore, called upon the right-thinking citizens to be watchful and check any irregularity in the constitution and appointment of corrupt individuals in the NSSB otherwise it would be detrimental in the fight against corruption especially the back door appointments which have plagued Nagaland.
It believes that the fight against corruption would be incomplete without the participation of all the stakeholders. In this regard, it called upon all the stakeholders to come together and unitedly fight against the forces of tribalism, nepotism and corruption, which has seeped into the system and corroded the very essence of the rich culture, traditions, trust and honesty bestowed upon by the ancestors.
“Every leader should make it his/ her responsibility to work for the interests of all instead of working for self-interest or selfish intentions,” the statement read.
As a people-centric party, NPP Nagaland also called upon the state government to be more proactive towards an early solution of the vexed Indo-Naga political issue and not take the citizens for a ride by making the Naga political problem as an election agenda only. It stated that the government should make an honest endeavour to give first and foremost priority to the peace process by all means without inclining towards partisan politics for ill-gotten motives but also have more consultative meetings with all stakeholders.
NPP Nagaland has also voiced out its concerned on the snail-paced development of roads in Nagaland and solely attributed to the corrupt practices of those involved including the state government. It has termed ‘unfortunate’ that the government of the day is busy trying to appease the central government for the construction of an airport in the state capital instead of putting its funds together for the development of roads across the state.
“What good will an airport built by emptying the state exchequer serve for the common people? In fact, only a meagre and negligible percentage of the state’s population enjoys the luxury of travelling on an airplane. Majority of our people travel only on roads, not even on trains!” NPP Nagaland queried.
NPP Nagaland advised the state government prioritise development of essential services instead of delving on unrealistic and unnecessary luxuries which would benefit only a fistful of a privileged class of individuals and not the majority section of the population.