It's high time district administrations are streamlined and the trend of 'substitute employees' is stopped, WR and YAS Minister Letpao Haokip said on Monday, emphasing the huge role village chieftains must play to help spread awareness to villagers.
“It is high time all government offices and institutions in hill areas are streamlined… Irresponsible and unprofessional government employees have been defying their duties and have been depending on hired substitutes. This trend failed to serve the actual purpose of setting up such offices, thereby affecting the efficiency of the district administration,” Haokip said.
The minister was speaking on Monday during a two-day tour of the remote areas of Khengjoi sub-division for an inspection and supervision of the Covid-19 vaccination drive in Chandel district.
Haokip urged the village chieftains of the remote areas of the state not to allow and agree on such ‘mutual arrangement’ of rendering services by ‘substitute’ employees, especially in schools and health centres.
“Health and education are the most basic spheres of a society and should not be compromised,” he said, adding that schools and PHCs/PHSCs should always work with full staff.
Also, urging the hill people not to resort to poppy cultivation, the minister said efforts should be made to find a viable alternative livelihood means.
Pointing out that there are several schemes of different departments, especially the Horticulture and Soil Conservation-related schemes, Haokip assured such benefits to the farmers.
Later, Haokip, who is also the local MLA of the area, toured and distributed rice bags to all the households of the village. The rice bags are procured by funds from the side of the local MLA combined with the sharing available under the PMGKAY scheme.
The minister, who is the chairman of the District Review Committee for tackling the Covid pandemic, inspected and supervised Covid-19 vaccination during the two-day tour of the remote areas of Khengjoi sub-division of Chandel district.
On Sunday, a mass vaccination cum awareness drive was held at Khangbarol village. Chandel deputy commissioner M Rajkumar; SP Chandel L Deben Singh; SDO Khengjoi L Herojit; special guest Dr Jamlal; village chiefs and student and representatives of civil bodies also took part in the programme.
Addressing the awareness programme, Haokip said that getting oneself vaccinated is the most effective way to remain Covid free as of now.
“One should not doubt the benefits of this vaccine and should not believe in misinformations and rumours that discouraged vaccination,” the minister said, appreciating the full-hearted initiative of the Chandel district administration for conducting a mass drive that targets 100 per cent vaccination of the district.
Chandel DC Rajkumar appealed to the villagers to get vaccinated and not to doubt its effectiveness, citing his personal experiences regarding COVID-19 and being vaccinated.
SDO L Herojit showed his gratitude to the minister for taking up all the odds and his genuine interest in fighting the pandemic and for his relentless efforts of convincing the villagers to get vaccinated.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Haokip visited Joldam villages and urged the locals to get vaccinated.
Khegjoi SDO and Dr Jamlal responded to queries and cleared the doubts of the villages regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
The mass vaccination drive of the Khengjoi sub-division is being carried out by four teams led by the SDO under the leadership of the DC, and will cover areas under the sub-division over a span of eight days. (DIPR)
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