C M Y K
www.morungexpress.com
wednesdAY • MArch 01 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 57 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
P o W e R
o F
T R u T H
You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain — Miyamoto Musashi Gurmehar Kaur steps back after threats, students denounce ABVP
Promoting purposeful interaction among youth
PAGe 08
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
You were dropped from your ministerial post? Oh, God, I’m dead!
One killed in car accident KIPhIRE, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): One person aged around 20 years was killed on the spot and the driver injured on February 27 when a Tata sumo in which they were traveling rolled down around 100 ft below the road. The unfortunate incident happened at around 4:30 pm when they were on their way to Sitimi town from Kiphire.
CMO clarifies on 7th ROP DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): The Nagaland State Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) today issued a clarification regarding the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission (RoP) for Nagaland government employees. A press statement from the CMO stated that the Cabinet “simply agreed in principle to implement the 7th central RoP for the state employees with the rider that the effective date from which it will be implemented shall be decided by the Cabinet at a later date.”
NPRAAF asks F&CS department to cancel “backdoor appointments”
C M Y K
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) today demanded that the Nagaland State Food and Civil Supplies Department immediately cancel three appointments for LDA posts, which it alleged “were filled by 3 individuals through backdoor appointment dated 10/03/2016.” A press note from the NPRAAF informed that following its intervention, the department had “reissued office corrigendum vide office order (part-II) No/294, 295, 296 Dated 18th July 2016 making the appointments on contract basis.” The NPRAAF asked that the posts be requisitioned to departmental board/ NPSC for an open competition, thereby giving “the chance to thousands unemployed youth of the state who are deprived of fair competitive exams for jobs.” The competitive exam must be conducted without partiality or favouritism and in all fairness, it added. It asked the department to adhere to the criteria laid down by the state government dated 6th June 2016 office memorandum (OM) with regard to appointment which is also direction from the High Court. In the event the department fails to sidetrack its official commitment made, NPRAAF cautioned that it would be compelled to take appropriate measures.
ASA Golden Jubilee tournament kicks off
PAGE 02
PAGE 12
nagaland state awarded for ‘outstanding’ e-Governance
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 28 (DIPR): Nagaland State has been awarded the CSINihilent e-Governance Award by the Computer Society of India (CSI) for the year 2015-16 for outstanding performance in e-Governance. This was informed by Commissioner & Secretary, IT & C, K.D Vizo during a brief facilitation programme at the Chief Ministers Office at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima on February 28. The Commissioner & Secretary, while addressing the programme stated that the CSI award is given every year to outstanding performance in e- Governance, based on two broad categories, the state category and the project category. The Project Category is normally given for innovations and the State Category is given every year for the overall performance of the State in the field of IT and e-Governance. He mentioned that in the State Category, the award was given to the State of Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh in the year 2014-15. For the year 201516, the Computer Society of India (CSI)-Nihilent had given the award to 4(four) States (Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha and Nagaland). The State of Nagaland was duly recognized as a top performing State from
among the North Eastern States in the field of IT and e-Governance sector and this award of recognition for North Eastern Region was given for the first time. Citing reasons for getting the award, the Commissioner & Secretary further explained that Nagaland was the first in India to take over State Portal and State Services Delivery Gateway (SP&SSDG) core infrastructure project; the only State in India where the State IT Department is running the State Data Centre without engaging private Data Centre Operator (DCO); the only State in India where the State is acting as Service Centre Agency (SCA) without engaging private companies for running Common Service Centre (CSC) and the state is ranked in Number No. 1 category in India in the e-District Mission Mode Project along with Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. He also stated that Nagaland is the first State in North Eastern Region to implement Aadhar based Biometric Attendance System in Nagaland Civil Secretariat. He also mentioned that the award given by the Computer Society of India is the highest award in the county by an NGO. Nagaland State Chief Minister, Dr. Shürhozelie
Nagaland receives CSI Award for being:
Nagaland Chief Minister, Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu recieving the CSI award for Nagaland state on February 28.
Lezietsu while congratulating the Ministers, Commissioner & Secretary, Office and Staff of the IT Department said that much progress has been made in a very short span of time and the department has brought laurels to the state while also attracting foreign companies. Dr. Shürhozelie also stated that the young generation of the State will have no problem with the advancement of technology and expressed his hope to see Nagaland emerging as one of the best states in the field of Information & Technology. The Chief Minister also assured his support towards the development of the department. While highlighting his earlier experience of interacting with foreign experts
brought by the Department of IT&C from Estonia, he mentioned that today in other parts of the world, many things can be done online by sitting at home, he opined that special effort should be given for promotion of IT and e-Governance sector. He went on to say that through proper use of Information Technology, the State of Nagaland can be a model for other States to follow and from now onwards the State Government will be giving more importance for promotion of IT and eGovernance sector in the State. Minister, IT&C, P Paiwang Konyak mentioned that the Department of IT&C had achieved this prestigious award through hard work and
i have no regrets: tr Zeliang DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): Former Nagaland State Chief Minister, TR Zeliang today said that he has no regrets for vacating the chair of Chief Minister after “some elements resorted to violent means demanding him to step down. According to a press note from the NPF, Zeliang said this while addressing an NPF election rally at Tamenglong, Manipur. Zeliang further alleged that he was dislodged “not because I had lost the support of the MLAs but because I am from a minority tribe in Nagaland. I had the support of the MLAs but people from outside the Assembly protested violently demanding that I should step down within a stipulated period.” He reminded that as CM he had not brought in the central forces to stop the protestors. “For the sake of peace and harmony in the State, I chose to step down. But do not be disheartened. The Government is in good hands and better days are ahead,” he said. On the conditions of the hill tribes of Manipur, Zeliang stated that the NPF can act as a common platform
for the various tribes of Manipur to come together and take up causes common to all of them. Regarding regional and national political parties, Zeliang said, regional parties like the NPF “do not have any High Command at the national level.” “The people are our High Command and we decide according to the wishes and aspirations of the common people,” he said. “Unlike ours, national parties do not go by the aspirations of the common people and decisions are taken from Delhi which is very far from these remote corners of the country. The tradition of going by the decisions of party High Command is not good for the grass roots people,” the former Nagaland CM added. He went on to say that the NPF party is one of the oldest regional parties in the country and has grown from strength to strength since “it stands with the people and never betrays the people.” “The sacrifice made by the four NPF legislators who resigned from the Manipur Assembly in protest against the three anti-tribal Bills shows that the NPF
does not merely talk but implements its manifesto on the ground. If NPF candidates are elected, they shall work for the different tribes and communities of the Hill Districts,” Zeliang assured. “We are not enemies of anyone but we shall ensure that the rights of the people are not taken away by anybody. We shall not allow anyone to take away the customary rights of the Hill tribes and communities of Manipur. Let us not walk backward, but walk forward for the welfare of the tribal people of the region,” he added. He went on to narrate that recent creation of districts like Nonei and Jeribam had further divided the villages of Tousem and Tamei sub divisions and that the Zeliangrong people were “badly divided by being placed in three different administrative states of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland which had made our people minorities in our respective States. Zeliang meanwhile claimed that since no single political party can get majority in the 11th Assembly, the “NPF will be the deciding factor in the formation of the next election.”
Army paper leak: Nagaland in focus ThANE, FEBRUARY 28 (PTI): Police suspect the army recruitment question paper leak may have been effected by a well-organised chain operating from Nagaland and Nagpur, and a serviceman could be involved, even as three more persons were arrested in this connection today. A team of Thane Police’s Crime Branch is carrying out a probe into the recruitment racket, which came to light Saturday night when 18 people from Maharashtra and Goa were arrested after raids. Three more persons were arrested today. Of the total 24 accused in the scam, 21 have been arrested so far. All of them were sent to police custody till March 4 by a local court, Joint Commissioner of Thane Police Ashutosh Dumbare said. As per an offence registered with Kalwa Police, some of the arrested persons said they received the question papers from Nagaland and Nagpur. Going by the information gleaned after interrogating them, police offi-
cials said they suspect the racket had been going on for the last few years. Some of the arrested persons were running career academies since 2012. It has also been revealed that the main accused was in touch with an Armyman in Nagaland and police suspect the paper was leaked through him, they said. A retired serviceman and a paramilitary personnel were among those arrested after yesterday’s raids. Dumbare had earlier said 350 students, who possessed question papers for the examination conducted by the Army Recruitment Board, were also detained for questioning. Police had received information a couple of days back from an institute which conducts coaching classes for Army job aspirants that some city students were to be given the question papers in advance for a price. Around 80 police personnel laid a trap and caught the students and middlemen from lodges and other
places with the copies of question papers, Dumbare had said. The middlemen had also arranged for fake domicile and residence proof for students hailing from other places so as to enable them appear for the exams in that zone. The beneficiary was to pay around Rs 4 to 5 lakh to the middlemen, Dumbare had said. Most of those nabbed are persons who conduct coaching classes at various places for recruitment in the army. The manner in which the leaked question papers travelled shows there was a well-organised chain leading to the beneficiaries, police said. After the “scam” came to light, Army recruitment exams slated on February 26 at Kamptee, Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Ahmedabad, Goa and Kirkee (in Pune) were cancelled. According to Thane City Police PRO, Sukhada Narkar, those arrested hailed from Pune, Satara, Nashik, Solapur and Wardha, among other cities.
with acute manpower. He further mentioned that the department is proposing for implementation of e-Procurement and Tendering System in the state of Nagaland to bring about transparency in procurement and tendering system. He also mentioned that it is high time that the state should concentrate on revenue collection and the Department of IT&C can be of help in improving revenue collection for important departments like Power. Chief Secretary Nagaland, Pankaj Kumar, IAS stated that the Department has been achieving very significant milestones for the state. He stated that Nagaland is not ranked too well in the “Ease of Doing Business” in the country,
• First in India to take over State Portal and State Services Delivery Gateway (SP&SSDG) core infrastructure project. • The only State in India where the State IT Department is running the State Data Centre without engaging private Data Centre Operator (DCO). • The only State in India where the State is acting as Service Centre Agency (SCA) without engaging private companies for running Common Service Centre (CSC). • Ranked Number No. 1 category in India in the eDistrict Mission Mode Project along with Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. • First state in NE to implement Aadhar based Biometric Attendance System in Nagaland Civil Secretariat. however the state IT Department has created a portal for the Industries & Commerce Department and expects the states ranking to improve. The Chief Secretary also commented that Nagaland is the first State in the North East to be presented with the award. Out of seven States (Gujarat, Nagaland, Karnataka, Chandigarh, Kerala, Pondicherry and Uttarakhand) which have taken up the National Information Infrastructure (NII) pilot project, Nagaland was the first state in the country to commission the pilot project for National Information Infrastructure (NII) on January 6, 2017 by the Chief Minister in presence of Joint Secretary, MeitY, Government of India.
Nagaland also has the largest BPO (Call Centre) in the North Eastern Region with 400 seats and the first phase was commissioned on January 27, 2017. These are some of the major achievement of the state after getting the award. The Computer Society of India is the first and largest body of computer professionals in India. It was started on March 6, 1965 by a few computer professionals and has now grown to be the national body representing computer professionals. It has 72 chapters across India, 511 student branches, and about 100,000 members. The society conducts periodic conferences, seminars and it meets frequently to exchange views, learn and share ideas.
ePfo allows withdrawals from pension a/c without Aadhaar NEw DElhI, FEBRUARY 28 (PTI): Retirement fund body EPFO has allowed full and final withdrawal of funds by the subscribers from their pension account without providing Aadhaar number. “All those members filing claims for withdrawal of funds from their pension account would not be required to submit Aadhaar as mandated in an earlier order of the EPFO,” a senior official said. The members with less than 10 years of service can submit a full and final settlement claim through Form 10C to withdraw the amount accumulated in their pension account. However, the official said that the members submitting claims for fixing their pensions using Form 10D would be required to submit Aadhaar number or enrolment slips. Explaining about the reason for giving this breather to the members, the official
said, “The requirement of submitting Aadhaar number under Form 10C claims led to issues in settlement of withdrawal cases. Thus, it is decided that obtaining Aadhaar should be mandatory for the time being only for pension (fixation under 10D Form) and not in withdrawal cases (under Form 10C).” Earlier in January, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made it mandatory for pensioners as well as subscribers to submit Aadhaar numbers+ for continuing the benefits under its various social security schemes. Later in January, the body had also made it mandatory for members to furnish Aadhaar number+ while submitting claims for settlement of their pension accounts under Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995. Earlier this month, the EPFO had extended the deadline for submitting the Aadhaar number by its members as well as pensioners till March 31, 2017.
NPCC claims NPF is ‘wasting time in Manipur’ DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today claimed that the Naga People’s Front (NPF) is “wasting people’s time and money in Manipur.” A press note from the NPCC President, K Therie stated that the 15 NPF candidates in the state “have no future either for their supporters or for their voters.” “They know they can never form the Government alone in Manipur. People are also aware that the BJP has denied alliance with NPF in Manipur while NPF is senselessly talking against the Congress. This puts the Nagas of Manipur nowhere in the political arena,” he said. The NPCC President further alleged that the NPF’s politics has “strangled the economy of Manipur.” “People have no openings an youth opportunities are strangled. Youth exodus is our major concern. Thousands of NE youths have migrated to mainland cities in search of jobs. We are proud of the few who have brought laurels but we are saddened and shamed with multiple stories. We must think together to open ways for our youth and siblings. We have beautiful countrysides and have been bestowed with abundant resources. We can convert them into opportunities of employment for all and also develop to be part of the most loving and
hospitable places in the world with abundant organic food,” Therie said. Calling for “progressive development,” Therie cautioned against “poisoning the minds of people,” and stated that “positive thinking is the way to progress. Peace and progress are always the objective of good politicians.” Further terming the economic blockade as “bad thinking,” the NPCC President noted that protests are a democratic process but “starving people through economic blockade does not go well with humankind, which includes infants, the sick and the old aged.” “People of the world would be wondering for the wrong reason and behaviour of Nagas. We are expected to do what is morally right to all manners of people in the spirit of our religion,” he added. He further stated that “there is no point in electing members to be in the opposition both in the state and at Delhi.” The NPCC President expressed confidence that the state elections in five states would be a “trend setter to the 2019 Parliamentary Election.” Congress, he said “will come back” and backed Rahul Gandhi to be the next Prime Minister. He further claimed that Gandhi would, “without fear or prejudice, solve the political problem as his ancestors have solved most of the NE problems.”