DIPR
Kohima, September 2
Chief Secretary of Nagaland Alemtemshi Jamir fell just short of saying that the traditional bureaucratic mindset rife in the state’s governing system has to be done away with. But he certainly told his officers that they must now start thinking new and move beyond existing contexts. Alemtemshi Jamir was addressing the inaugural function of the common induction program of probationers of the IAS, NCS, NPS and allied services on September 2 in the Administrative Training Institute of Kohima. The chief secretary addressed the 2012 batch of IAS, NCS, NPS and allied services probationers.
Jami urged the future state officers to circumvent the ‘present situation in bringing about new changes, so that they would gain national and global recognition.’ He reminded the officers of society-changing ideas such as Nagaland’s unique the “communitization” system, conceptualized by Nagaland was recognized by the United Nations as a totally new concept ‘by awarding the State.’
Jamir encouraged the young officers to rise above the context of their backgrounds, existing environments, weak technologies which might be far from their expectations and called upon them to lead and serve the people. He cited the examples of the Canadian funded NEPED projects which dealt with global Climate Change and other environmental issues. Likewise, he mentioned the Nagaland Bamboo Mission which was started as a small mission but went on to become a symbol of successful harnessing of available natural resources in the state.
Jamir reflected that Nagaland would be celebrating 50 years of statehood this year. However, ‘due to the spirit of administrative system which emerged only at that point of time, there still exist problems of identity crisis, confusions, deficiency in good governance and deficiency in the system of administrative structures.’
Jamir agreed to the fact that 50 years was a long time for any society to have evolved but also reminded that Nagas have only had 50 years to be part of modern administration system, and was under the British colonial imperial system till then. People were allowed to continue with their own traditional systems. He said that the officers are going to work in a Government where the system is still continuing with the “jhum” system of cultivation, which reflects the agricultural technology, the history was that the hunting and gathering society was introduce into modernization process and said, “since you are going to be part of the system you should understand the deficiencies so that later on as you try to overcome the deficiencies you start shining”.
Talking about reforming and restructuring Jamir while referring to the Foot Hills Highways said that it is not just looking for an alternative during Assam bandhs the highway is the dream of the State where linear cities would grow along for urbanization as an alternative to the hill-top mountains. The cities would provide industrialization to create opportunities to 5 lakhs students who are in schools and colleges and where the whole process of modernization of society could take place and at the same time address issues of global climate change by population shifting down and forest and environment could be sustained.
He further narrated that along with the linear cities the SDXs to be set up where land laws would be liberalized, tribal concept of thinking that outsiders cannot hold land in Nagaland could be re-structured and change in the land holding system could be changed. Talking all these exciting things involved, the Chief Secretary encouraged the probationers for setting some agenda and opined that such setting would be the real foundation for future. “A lot of important changes could happen and how important the changes take place would depend on you”, he maintained.
In his keynote address, Additional Chief Secretary CJ Ponraj observed that role of government has undergone tremendous changes and felt State has to confine to its core role. Public governance can confine to its core role by enforcing law and order, judicial and legal rights, fostering economic policies, and building up capacities of the State, he said. Ponraj pointed out about the dual governance system of Nagaland being a tribal state and exhorted the officers on the need to harmonize these institutions to work efficiently as a public administrator.
Stating ‘unexpected events’ come to shake the state government despite all technological advances, Ponraj advised the probationers to stay alert. “It is one of the most important challenges to be faced by a public administrator.
Giving the basic outlines of the induction, he informed that it has been set with four specific objectives: Relevant areas of foundation skills, Exposure to the challenges posed by public management today; learning to learn; fostering personal relationship with the institute. The foundation programme would focus on basic foundation skills required to succeed, foundation attitude to serve and foundation of knowledge of public administration, he said.
In the programme, IAS, NCS and Allied service probationers shared their expectations from the training and was optimistic that they would be equipped and empowered to be responsible public administrators.
Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner Nagaland Banuo Z Jamir, Director of Prisons LThechamo Lotha and officers of ATI and 2012 batch of NCS, NPS and Allied services probationers including four IAS probationers were in the inaugural. The officers will be undergoing two-months’ training starting from today.
