Ban on Govt servants becoming headmen
SHILLONG: Ahead of Friday’s cabinet meeting, four ministers on Thursday wrote a letter to the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to review the blanket ban on Government servants functioning as headmen and instead they suggested a regulatory mechanism.
The cabinet ministers had also met the Chief Minister on Wednesday and discussed the matter.
Indications are that based on the letter, the cabinet may review the earlier decision on service rule amendment.
The cabinet ministers A.L. Hek, Roshan Warjri, Clement Marak, Sniawbhalang Dhar, and Chairman of Resource Mobilization Ngaitlang Dhar said in the joint letter that it is sufficient to make all office bearers and members of the Dorbars, who are Government servants, to seek Government permission for the post they hold in the Dorbar.
“Dos and don’ts should be made to regulate their activity and depriving the durbars, the villages, the shnong and grassroot governance of their best talents will only help in antagonizing and agitating the minds of the public,” they said.
The ministers stated that the move to amend the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) rules sends a message to the anti-Congress lobby that the Government is out for revenge.
The State Cabinet on January 7 amended Rule 20 (B) of Meghalaya Service and Conduct Rules debarring “anyone in service, except previous sanctions, to hold office or membership in any community based organizations, associations and traditional bodies”.
The ministers pointed out that when people went to seek clarification from the Personnel Department about the Cabinet decision, they were told in no uncertain terms that Government want all Rangbah Shnongs who are Government servants to resign immediately. “This reply sends out a message that the Government is out for revenge. It simply enforces the rumours that Government is out to finish off the Dorbars. We must not fall into this trap because that is not our intent,” the letter said.
The ministers admitted that that many headmen performed and delivered yeoman service to the communities they serve.
The government schemes are expedited and implemented through Dorbar Shnong. Dorbars also are largely instrumental in maintaining security, law and order within their jurisdictions, they said.
“We also find that where the Dorbar is composed of Government servants and government officials, governance is better. Government servants who are headmen are more educated, better trained and have greater awareness. They provide better service to the community”, the ministers asserted.