The Nagaland Government has clarified that the proposed transfer and posting of Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) from Phek to the newly created Meluri district has not yet been finalised, with the matter currently under examination.
The issue was raised in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly by MLA, Kuzholuzo Nienu, who sought to know whether the Commissioner’s Office had issued any directive to the Deputy Commissioner, Phek, regarding the redeployment, transfer or posting of MTS staff to the Deputy Commissioner, Meluri.
Responding to the question, Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton, who holds the Home portfolio, clarified that the Commissioner’s Office had not issued such a directive.
Nienu, while raising the issue, questioned why Phek district appeared to be repeatedly targeted for transfers and postings, referring to instances of transfers involving Phek since 2003.
He urged the government to avoid what he termed “transfer with post” and called for a proper identification of departmental manpower requirements before redeployment. He also cautioned against practices that could contribute to misunderstanding and tribalism.
The MLA said the Assembly should remain a platform where elected representatives can raise issues and offer suggestions for correcting government policies in the larger public interest.
He further suggested that surplus staff from departments such as Printing and Stationery, where he claimed more than 200 employees were without sufficient work, could instead be redeployed to districts facing manpower shortages. Such redeployment, he said, would help the government meet administrative requirements without creating additional financial burden.
Deputy Chief Minister, Patton, however, explained that redeployment to newly created districts was being carried out in accordance with a Home Department Office Memorandum dated February 28, 2022.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
According to Patton, the memorandum provides guidelines for assessing manpower requirements for offices in newly created districts. The new districts are to be categorised as small, medium or big for determining their staffing requirements, with posts to be filled, as far as possible, through redeployment rather than creation of additional posts.
He said the government had already exercised redeployment for five of the six newly created districts, while the case of Meluri was still under examination.
Giving examples, Patton said 23 personnel were redeployed from the Dimapur Deputy Commissioner’s office to Chümoukedima, including four UDA, four LDA, two typists, one Dobashi, two Dobashi Grade-II, five drivers and five MTS personnel.
Similarly, two UDA posts were redeployed from Dimapur to Niuland, while 13 personnel were redeployed from Kohima to Tseminyu, comprising one HA, two UDA, four LDA, five drivers and one stenographer.
Patton also stated that 15 personnel were redeployed from Tuensang to Shamator, while six were redeployed from Tuensang to Noklak.
He clarified that the redeployment exercise was therefore not specific to Phek, but part of the broader administrative restructuring undertaken following the creation of new districts.
As for the proposed redeployment from Phek to Meluri, Patton said the matter remained under examination, indicating that no final decision had been taken.
