Aizawl, Mar 3: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Monday said voluntary pension will be given to government employees who are no longer fit to perform their duties due to various reasons under the newly introduced Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme.
He said service review committees are being formed in all the departments to find out non-performing employees, who are unable to perform their duties due to various reasons, including health issues.
“Our government has introduced a special voluntary pension scheme for employees. Any employee, who is no longer fit to execute his or her duty, is expected to apply for voluntary pension under the scheme. We are not trying to sack the employees but give them an opportunity for their honourable exit,” the chief minister informed the assembly.
He said there can be no good governance and strong government unless the quality of service is reformed and improved.
Soon after assuming power in December 2023, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government headed by Lalduhoma vowed to end the decades-old practice of illegally hiring proxies by government employees and directed such employees to report to their respective departments.
According to data collected by different departments, there were 3,365 government employees from 44 departments who hired proxies in their places.
While there were several reasons for hiring substitutes, the majority of employees, numbering more than 2,000, cited health reasons, and 703 employees cited domestic problems.
In June last year, the state government had directed such employees hiring proxies to be posted at their respective posting places within 45 days.
Lalduhoma informed the assembly that currently, there is no report of employees hiring proxies.
He, however, said the government would take appropriate action against such employees and officers who still hire proxies.
According to the Mizoram Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme, 2024, notified in January this year, regular employees governed by CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, who have not rendered a minimum of 20 years of service, and employees governed by the Mizoram New Defined Contributory System, 2010, may seek voluntary retirement under the scheme. (PTI)
