FATYC demands appointment of TA head
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 22 2025: The Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs (FATYC), Manipur, has written to the Chief Secretary, requesting immediate appointment of a tribal IAS officer to the highest post in the Tribal Affairs and Hills (TA&H) department, instead of the existing Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).

In the letter signed by its president Athuii Panme and general secretary Hopeson Machinao, the Federation stated that the TA&H department requires an officer who understands the tribal needs, culture, and challenges to enable more effective governance and empathetic developmental initiatives.

It also stated that the Autonomous District Councils have been defunct for many years, depriving the tribal population of involvement in improving their welfare.

Claiming that the current Secretary in the TA&H department, who is also Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) and PCCF, is neither available in office nor approachable even by phone, the Federation added that the Secretary displays a total lack of consideration for the welfare of the tribal communities and has not been effective in uplifting them.

The Federation also stated that they have been informed that the current Secretary of TA&H is already burdened with numerous departmental responsibilities and a dual posting, making it even more impossible to manage the workload effectively.

This lack of leadership at TA&H has resulted in the stagnation of developmental initiatives, leaving the tribal communities deprived of the benefits they are entitled to, it said and urged the Chief Secretary to appoint a tribal IAS to the highest post in TA&H to improve collaboration in implementing schemes and developmental initiatives for tribal people in the State.

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