ATSUM alleges
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 08 2015: The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has alleged that a tribal officer of Agriculture Department has been denied promotion apart from top officers indulging in bureaucratic manipulation in the Manipur Legislative Assembly with regard to the tribal quota.

Highlighting these points, ATSUM today submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister O Ibobi.

Speaking to media persons after submitting the memorandum at their Nagaram office, ATSUM information and publicity secretary Micah Kamei said that Louis Ngasainao should succeed G Shamu Kabui as Agriculture Director after the latter's retirement in February 2014 .

However, S Gunija Devi was promoted as Agriculture Director even though she is nine years junior to Louis Ngasainao in terms of joining service.

According to a seniority list of Deputy Directors published on May 10, 2011, Louis Ngasainao occupied the second spot.

ATSUM is deeply concerned with the way the seniority and overall service records of Louis Ngasainao is being overlooked on the ground that a case has been pending in Vigilance against him.

This is in contravention of Central Service Rules which says that the Government is not debarred from considering any person for promotion whether he/she is under vigilance case or not, claimed Micah.

Moreover, the Principal Secretary (Departmental Enquiry) conducted preliminary hearing of six officers including Louis on September 4 and the charged officials submitted a lengthy statement conveying that funds withdrawn inadvertently without Government order had been recovered.

Subsequently, the Principal Secretary (DE) pointed out that there was no necessity for any further departmental enquiry.

The Vigilance Director in a letter sent to the Under Secretary (Agriculture) on October 7 last year to let off the officers with a minor penalty and a warning not to commit such misdeeds again.

Then the Principal Secretary (Agriculture) approached the Minister concerned in October last year seeking approval to close the case.

But the Minister has been sleeping over the case till date, Micah decried.

Interestingly, incumbent Director S Gunija would be retiring on January 31, Micah said while questioning if there is any valid reason to deny Louis Ngasainao the long overdue promotion this time too.

On the other hand, it was said that reservation for SC/ST/OBC during recruitment in Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat would be done in line with the 200 points roster system with January, 2014 as the base year.

Earlier at a meeting with Chief Minister O Ibobi, it was agreed to fill up all backlog posts in Assembly Secretariat including sanctioned posts and reserved quota, and an MoU was signed between ATSUM and the Chief Minister.

However, the written assurance given by the Chief Minister is being kept at bay by some officers of the Assembly Secretariat.

The matter demands immediate attention of all authorities concerned before it sparks any untoward incident, Micah said as highlighted through the memorandum.

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