okokchung, March 13 (MTNews): In a startling revelation, the Public Grievances Department of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has recently brought to light the disturbing scenario of Nagaland state being overstaffed in the public sector.
Supongmeren Jamir and Kedou Watsah of the PGD, NPCC has revealed that the total number of government employees in Nagaland stood at 1,44,177 out of which 1,21,207 are regular employees and 22,970 are contractual employees. These employees are employed in 82 departments of the government, they said.
They have also claimed that the state has an excess of about 70,000 government employees, which is against the Ministry of Finance guidelines. They also said that the salary for state’s employees should not account for more than 35% of the total budget but at present, the state government’s expenses on salary account for roughly 65% of the total budget and only 35% of the budget remains for development works.
Meanwhile, the state’s Agriculture Production Commissioner and former Finance Secretary of the Government of Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema IAS, while interacting with media persons at a program in Kohima recently has also concurred that ‘over employment’ in the government sector is a major issue in the state as a major chunk of the state’s finances are spent on salaries and wages amounting to Rs 5303.20 crores, and Rs 1752.48 crores on pensions.
According to the APC, as of March 31, 2020, Nagaland has a total of 1,00,001 regular employees; 24,854 fixed employees and 14,744 work-charge employees, totaling the number of government employees to 1,40,765.