Imkong Walling
Security has ever remained integral to survival since the dawn of humankind. It was basic— food, shelter and clothing – for early humans before the needs diversified as civilizations evolved. It was competitive and continues to this day.
The purpose and the spirit of competition have remained intact; only that the hunter-gatherer nature has transformed into job-hunting as a means to food, shelter and clothing. Jobs have become synonymous with survival and a touchy one, especially from a socio-political perspective.
It is not uncommon for political leadership in liberal economies to change hands over jobs or dearth of it, while job (creation) has become a prominent feature in electoral rhetoric.
Nagaland is also no stranger to the job-race and the associated emotional as well as social upheavals. But the contest here is of a different kind and an unhealthy one.
The trend here has been to get salaried jobs in government positions or political leaders pledging government jobs and rarely private enterprise to create more alternative jobs.
One has to admit securing a spot in the limited number of positions in the government implies security with an assured salary till retirement, alongwith an enhanced social profile.
On the flipside, it has drawbacks, too.
With all due respect to the government employees, government job offers little room for competition. As has been the trend, chances of getting fired for under-performing or dereliction are quite low; the worst punishment more often than not being a transfer or suspension (with right to appeal).
The reliance on the government for salaried jobs has given way to a stagnant economy and a laidback citizenry, who have shown no penchant to explore alternatives, barring a handful minority. It has put a lid to private economic enterprise and job creation independent of the government.
It has translated into a community of unworried and dependent people looking forward to the end of the month for the next salary disbursal from the government treasury, giving way to a government-salaried economy.
Individual bank accounts going empty by the end of the month and markets marked by high sales at the start of the month does not make for a healthy economy.
Another issue that has had emotions running high has been job reservation.
While in most other places, the mantra has been to make the environment conducive to self-sustaining business enterprise, creating more jobs for more people, the debate here has markedly centred on ‘quotas and reservation’ in the government job registry.
In fact, the latter has stirred up greater public sentiment with defined battle lines, further fragmenting an already segregated social order.
This begs the questions, “Why does debate over an issue gets more participatory and the participants more emotional when the topic is government job quotas and reservation? Is it that progress is defined by how many persons a tribe has in government positions?
If only the same degree of passion is displayed in matters of roads, energy and human resource to nourish industrial growth backed up improved education, medical facilities and other requirements that aid the growth of a sound economy.
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
