Winter assembly session
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jan 10: The Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Friday renewed the demand for a separate cadre of IAS, IPS and IFS officers for the state.
All the parties agreed to urge New Delhi to expedite the process of creating a separate cadre. The decision came after Congress MLA and former MP Ninong Ering raised the issue during short discussion.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu will lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi soon to urge the union home minister to expedite the process of creating a separate cadre for Arunachal.
Khandu told the assembly that the state government had on several occasions urged the Centre to create a separate cadre of administrative officers for Arunachal, keeping in view the ethnic diversity of the state.
“When a tribe of the state cannot understand the
language and culture of another tribe, how can an outside officer understand? We are not able to implement our policies properly because the bureaucrats are not permanent in the state as they are being posted for five years with two tenures of two-and-a-half years each,” the chief minister said.
He added that the government is serious about the issue, “which is in the state’s interest.”
Khandu said the state assembly had on 18 October, 2017, adopted a resolution which was forwarded to the union home minister.
“I discussed the matter with the prime minister, besides the president, the vice-president and the DoPT minister, and even the state governor discussed it with several central leaders on many occasions,” Khandu said, adding that the Centre had already instructed the DoPT ministry to work on it “but the process remained stagnant.”
He said the Centre is also serious about the issue and is considering it.
Earlier, initiating the discussion, Ering said that when smaller states like Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim could have separate cadres, “why not Arunachal?”
“Separate cadre for the state will minimize the perceived alienation feelings and will help in formulating long-term policies and improve administrative setup with feeling of oneness,” he said.
All the members who participated in the discussion supported the issue and demanded that the state government impress upon the Centre for creation of a separate cadre for the state.
Presently, the IAS, IPS and IFS officers posted in the state are from the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and other Union Territories) cadre.
The assembly also paid homage to former MLA Boken Ete, who passed away on Wednesday.
Convening the obituary reference, Speaker PD Sona informed the house that Ete had started his career as an Agency Labour Corps (ALC) member in 1944 and went on to become the MLA of the then 16 Along South assembly constituency in 1978.
“He contributed in many fields, like contribution in abolishing slavery system. He is also known as a campaigner of modern education who was instrumental in establishment of the first school at Aalo in 1947 and Ramakrishna Mission School in 1965,” said Sona.
Taking part in the obituary reference, Basar MLA Gokar Basar urged the government to accord recognition to the late leader for his contribution in bringing modern education system in Arunachal.
Paying homage to the pioneering MLA and social reformer, Khandu informed that a convention centre will be established in Aalo and named after Ete to honour his contributions in many fields, including education.
DCM Chowna Mein remarked that “the entire Arunachal has lost a pioneer administrator, pioneer social reformer and political leader.”
Earlier, the assembly passed the Arunachal Pradesh Goods & Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The bill was moved by the CM, and was passed without much debate. (With PTI input)
Quotes of the day
1. “Republic Day se pehle dega ki nei dega?” Nabam Tuki, questioning the government on posting of COs.
2. “Usee ka jawab mein hi jawab hai,” Speaker PD Sona, replying to Nabam Tuki on CM’s reply.
3. “NIT chal raha hai, yeh kab tak chalega bhagwan jaane,” Tarin Dakpe on water crisis in Raga.
4. “If you come to Arunachal, you work for Arunachal, die for Arunachal,” Ninong Ering during the debate on separate cadres.
5. “District creation logon ko baatne ka kaam hai,” Nyato Rigia.
6. “Veterinary doctors CO or EAC ka kaam kar raha hai,” Phurpa Tsering on scarcity of administrative officers.
7. “Abi toh chaar naya districts ho gaya hai, wahan peh kuch bhi nahi hai,” CM Pema Khandu, discouraging creation of new districts.
