Wholesome review of job reservation policy needed in Nagaland — Kronu

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 7 (EMN): Minister for Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu on Thursday said that there is a need for a complete review of reservation policy in the state.

Kronu stated this while interacting with journalists on the sidelines of a programme in Kohima. He informed that a cabinet sub-committee meeting was held on Wednesday.

The statement came in the backdrop of demand made by the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) for 45% job reservation under the recently constituted Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), and its January 10 deadline to fulfil them.

The minister maintained that the cabinet sub-committee had decided and recommended ‘wholesome review’ of the reservation policy to the state cabinet.

“Even though it may take a little more time, it will be better if we clipped in the whole policy,” he said.

He said that ‘all like-minded organisations, be it NSF, ENSF or even intellectuals can come and join the working group to work out a formula on how to go about’. “It is time to review the whole policy,” he said, adding that more discussions will be held on the matter.

Meanwhile, Kronu maintained that ‘some districts have more population, some less’, while pointing out that ‘the roster policy of reservation’ and its application needs to be studied.

He went on to inform that the cabinet sub-committee had entrusted the minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Paiwang Konyak; and Advisor for IPR, SCERT and Village Guards, Toshi Wungtung to meet the ENSF delegation, adding that the ‘update is awaited’.

Appointment of NSSB members put on hold

The minister informed that the appointment of NSSB chairman and members has been ‘kept in abeyance’ until the reservation policy is ‘fully done’.

He said that the state cabinet is also scheduled to sit for a meeting on January 14.

ENSF warns of agitation

While lauding the state government for keeping the NSSB on hold, ENSF president Sepili Sangtam said that the federation would decide its further course of action on expiry of its deadline (January 10) ‘to address its legitimate demands’.

He maintained that ENSF has neither received an official invitation from the government emissary entrusted by the Cabinet nor held any meeting.

“Since our demand is a genuine and legitimate one, if the government fails to address our demands we will go for another agitation,” he said.