Chief Secretary, Sentiyanger Imchen addresses the AHoD and HoD meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Kohima on February 18. (DIPR Photo)
Kohima, February 18 (MExN): The Nagaland Chief Secretary, Sentiyanger Imchen today pulled up senior officers for leaving station without formal permission, even as he directed departments to draw up concrete action plans for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Viksit Bharat vision.
Chairing the first meeting of Administrative Heads of Departments (AHoDs) and Heads of Departments (HoDs) for 2026 at the Civil Secretariat in Kohima on February 18, Imchen expressed serious concern over the “casual approach” of several officers who have been proceeding on leave or leaving station without following due procedure.
According to a DIPR report, he made it clear that AHoDs must obtain leave sanction from the Chief Secretary’s office before leaving station, while HoDs are required to seek permission from their respective AHoD.
He also emphasised that AHoDs and HoDs should prioritise participation in workshops that are directly relevant and beneficial to their respective departments.
Officers were cautioned against attending every meeting or workshop indiscriminately, as it affects administrative efficiency and routine functioning.
On the developmental front, the Chief Secretary reminded officers of the State’s commitment to the SDG targets and the Viksit Bharat mission. He stated that every department must chalk out clear strategies on how to achieve the SDG targets and contribute towards the Viksit Bharat mission, and come up with concrete proposals and action plans.
However, the Chief Secretary expressed concern that despite the State’s Vision 2030 document compiled with inputs from all departments, very few departments have actively pursued or implemented what was outlined in the vision plan.
He reminded officers that Vision 2030 was prepared after thorough consultation and contributions from all departments, and therefore its goals must be taken seriously.
The Chief Secretary informed that his office will be writing to each department on the matter and directed all departments to be prepared.
Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha underscored the importance of officers’ presence during the Assembly and Budget sessions, stating that when questions pertaining to specific departments are tabled in the House, inputs and clarifications must be provided promptly.
“In such situations, the presence of the concerned AHoDs and HoDs becomes crucial to ensure accurate, timely, and comprehensive responses,” he stated.
Sinha also reminded all departments to prepare Governor and budget speeches with clarity, precision and innovation. He emphasised that budget presentations should be concise and forward-looking, incorporating fresh initiatives and innovative proposals rather than repeating matters or achievements that have already been highlighted in previous years.
Finance Commissioner, Kesonyu Yhome briefed the meeting on the status of budget preparations and urged strict adherence to timelines. He expressed displeasure over delays by some departments in submitting materials for the Governor’s Address and the Budget Speech, despite the February deadline.
He directed departments to clearly segregate submissions and ensure that budget inputs focus on new initiatives rather than repetitive achievements.
Raising concern, Yhome cited interactions with the Accountant General (AG) Office that many departments are not carrying out timely reconciliation of accounts. As a result, he said, several issues that could have been resolved at the departmental and AG level are “escalated unnecessarily.”
Therefore, he urged all AHoDs and HoDs to ensure that their respective Accounts Sections are kept properly informed and updated so that reconciliation of accounts is carried out in a timely manner.
All AHoDs and HoDs attended the meeting, the DIPR report added.
