Kohima, May 28 (MExN): The NPF Legislature Party (NPFLP) on Friday expressed surprise and amusement at the State government’s decision to constitute an advisory panel of experts as part of its response to the COVID-19 management.
Informing that the NPFLP meeting could not be convened owing to the COVID-19 protocols, NPFLP Spokesperson, Imkong L Imchen said that the statement is being issued “in the interest of public service.”
Imchen highlighted the ‘sudden appearance of a half-cropped government notification’ dated May 13, 2021 regarding constitution of an advisory panel of experts.
The cropped notification concealing the terms of reference was tweeted by the Government Spokesperson and Advisor to the Government of Nagaland after a news report in the local daily citing the need for a panel of experts to be in the High-Powered Committee (HPC), Imchen stated.
He reminded that the HPC consisting of 6 members including the Chief Minister as Chairman and the Deputy CM as Co-Chairman was constituted on June 1, 2020. The HPC is assisted by a number of officials pooled from different government departments. The decision to constitute the HPC was taken by the Cabinet to decide on policy matters relating COVID-19, including supervision of the State War Room, he added.
As such, Imchen questioned the reason for constituting an Advisory panel of 3 experts, while also questioning whether any advertisement was floated and candidates shortlisted for the same. “What were the criteria for selection? Were there any specific qualification requirements? What process was followed for selection of the experts?,” the NPFLP Spokesperson questioned.
He further questioned whether the decision was an ‘arbitrary’ individual decision, or of a selected few or of a Committee set up. He also sought to know where the final approval for the panel came from.
Imchen queried how the Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Frontline Workers (FLWs) working at the ground level would benefit from the Advisory panel whose services are to be utilized by the SDMA/SEC for a period of one year through virtual consultation or any other means of communication, as per the terms of the notification.
“Will these experts have any idea about the ground reality here in the State? Are they well versed in the demographic, socio-economic, patient demographic aspects of the State? Has the State Government considered what to do if there are divergent and differing opinions amongst these three experts?” he posed.
Imchen asked how much fund the State government has spent till date from the notified pro-rata cuts of 20% on various items under Non-Development from the Budget Estimates 2021-22, and for what purposes. “…What is the urgent necessity of the so-called expert panel, only to be added to the financial burden of the State?” Imchen asserted, referring to the Chief Minister’s letter to the Confederation of Indian Industries on April 28, 2021 seeking donations where he had cited that the State's finances were already stretched.
He also questioned the State government and the Chief Minister regarding the logic behind appointing a new panel of experts despite having officials already appointed/designated to various committees and groups at the State level and in line with the Government of India's groups.
“Are these newly appointed experts going to formulate any new strategies and approaches other than that which the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other official authorities such as the ICMR, NEGVAC and the Empowered Groups are formulating? If yes, then what will those approaches be? If no, then the State Government does not have faith on its own State Officials who have already been appointed / designated? Or is the HPC unable to take decisions on its own despite the advisories, guidelines and orders from the Gol?” he added.
If the move was made with good intention to help the State in its fight against COVID-19 and through proper procedures, why was it kept a secret from the public when most likely public funds would be used to pay for these services, Imchen said. Why is only selective, half-information being released to the public? He added.
Terming the Government Spokesperson's tweet as ‘misleading’, the NPFLP Spokesperson said that as against the claim made in the tweet that the HPC is advised by the experts panel, it is found that the panel has been constituted to "make expert opinion on various aspect of emergency response of COVID-19 to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and State Executive Committee (SEC) Nagaland."
There is absolutely no mention whatsoever of advising the HPC, he said and added that constitution of another panel seems to be creating more confusion and multiplicity in the decision making process besides added financial burden.
“Rather than confusing itself, the State Government should be taking much needed decisions like declaring power department field staff as Frontline Workers at par since power supply is crucial to running of hospitals, ICUs, oxygen concentrators etc." Imkong opined.
In this regard, the NPFLP Spokesperson stated that the constitution of an advisory panel of experts is “unnecessary, clandestine and perhaps dubious in procedure.”
“The State Government has to come clean on this without delay in the interest of the public,” he asserted.
