Advisor for Soil and Water Conservation and Information & Public Relations, Imkong L. Imchen, has expressed serious concern over what he termed as long-standing neglect, inadequate funding, and flawed policies affecting the Department of Soil and Water Conservation.

Addressing a press conference at the Department’s office on Monday, he lamented that despite the presence of capable officers, the Department continues to be hampered by systemic shortcomings and lack of support from the State Government.

Imchen revealed that the Department’s annual fund allocations have been consistently inadequate, with only ₹2.50 crore sanctioned in 2023–24, ₹2.70 crore in 2024–25, and ₹3.50 crore in 2025–26. “The three annual plan allocations together are not even equivalent to the fund allocation of a smaller department annually,” he remarked, adding that around 100 strong, well-qualified officers across the State are left idle due to lack of sufficient funding for departmental activities for over last three years.

The Advisor also highlighted about the institution where soil conservation assistants were trained in Zubza and said this Institute is the only institute across the country that has a subject-specific curriculum. The candidates were selected having a BU science (12 + 2), BU, a two-year diploma course. He added that only the Zubza qualified candidates were selected in the interview for employment as a soil conservation assistant. He also said that their curriculum was soil conservation-specific and not general studies. However, he said that even there they were given the opportunity of employment based on merit and seniority.

“When framing the service rule, the Department of P&AR have spoiled the system by imposing upon the department that training should undergone for a two-year diploma course (in service) whereas the departments were selecting the candidates for pre-service training,” he noted .

The advisor said that there is a vast difference. He added that the present one is in service however the practicing one was pre-service which was in queue system. He said that altogether 439 students passed out of the 21 batches and the department employed almost all. Henceforth, Imkong Imchen added that the training would be on the basis of in-service and whether passing the course successfully or not they are Government employee and that is the stupidity that the P&NR department has imposed upon the department.

“I do not know what is the motive behind imposing such a stupid policy on the department. This department is also part of Government of Nagaland. Recruitment agency should be NSSB but the present practice, the department is having is pre-service training. Even though you are passed out, you are still not employed, and the government is not liable for paying salary to you. But the latest service rule is, government is liable for paying salary to all the undergoing batches of the students,” he stated.

Imchen further emphasized that he had made several protests about such a decision, that why state government should spend unnecessarily to pay salary for undergoing training.

He added that training can be taken by anybody voluntarily, and after passing from training, depending on the availability of the post vacancy, they would be recruited as a government service. But the present arrangement under the Department of Soil Conservation imposed by the P&AR department is in-service training and there is a big difference

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According to the rules of executive business, the Advisor said that every state government, including the union government, rules of executive business is framed and mandated by the Parliament for the union government as well as the state government by the Assembly and these are called Service Disciplinary Conduct Rules. So according to rules of executive business, department’s responsibility, duties, assignments were allocated by the government, he added.

However he said that in the service rules of executive business, the scheme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKBY), Natural Resource Management (NRM) is allocated to the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, even in the rules of executive business. But in practical, he said this scheme is with agriculture and that he had made several representations over the years.

He said that this rules of executive business is like a holy Bible for the Christians and the Government has to abide and comply with the rules laid down under the rules of executive business. And unfortunately or fortunately, he said he is thorough on these rules.

According to the rules of executive business, the advisor said that the assignment allocated to the rules of the Department of Soil and Water Conservation was natural resource management however it is not given yet despite of several representations, including a review meeting.

In all practical terms, Imkong said that the Department of Soil and Water Conservation is a small seal under the Department of Agriculture in the state. He said that it cannot be termed as a full-fledged department because the department functions under the direction and control of agriculture.

Referring to one flagship program, RKVY, Imkong said that it’s an umbrella program and the nodal Department is Agriculture. He said that NRM is also included under RKVY and soil health is also included under NRM. He said that it is under the command and control of the Agri-Production Commissioner (APC). The advisor said that he functions under his command and control.

He also said that in Nagaland there is the Department of Land Resources, Department of Water Resources and Department of Soil and Water Conservation where water and soil is conserved.

Looking at the academic credentials of the department, the Advisor said that a little more than 100 strong, highly qualified officers are trying to join, including PhD, however, they have no work. He added that they are spread across the state, serving under different conditions.

Highlighting Nagaland as a developing state, the advisor said that erstwhile Tuensang – Mon area are still underdeveloped area. He also cited the difference between underdeveloped area and developed areas and said in both areas officers are there to help the people.

Basing on the current reality, Imkong mentioned that they have thorough academic credential to help and diagnose their bleedings and grievances however they don’t have the potentiality, resources, to meet their requirements.

He said that the department was pushing for DPR scheme since 2015, however, it could not be approved.

“The moment I joined the department, my attention was drawn by the Department. So I took up the matter with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the former Union Minister for Jal Shakti. And with a humble amount of Rs 35 crore, I got it approved in 2024. That is called the rejuvenation of mine prone areas. The area which was spoiled by the coal mining, soil condition becomes barren, dry and poisonous also especially the water bodies. So it is required to rejuvenate such a soil condition, as well as the water and to bring it into a natural condition. It is under implementation. Altogether, out of the three in our plan budget, we got altogether Rs 7 something crores,” Imkong noted.