Northeast Desk, 11th March: A staggering revelation has emerged in Mizoram, with at least 3,365 state government employees found to have hired substitutes illegally working in their place across various departments, particularly in rural areas, according to officials.
The inquiry into this widespread practice was initiated following the assumption of power by the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, in December. Initial findings indicate a significant number of substitute employees across different departments, with the school education department leading with 1,115 substitute employees, followed by the health and family welfare department with 624, and the power and electricity department with 253 proxies.
Of the government workers resorting to proxy arrangements, 2,070 cited health issues, while 703 mentioned domestic challenges. Other reasons provided included the lack of residential quarters, remote village postings, and language barriers.
In response to this alarming situation, Chief Minister Lalduhoma has announced that the state cabinet will thoroughly review cases of substitute employment and take necessary actions. With approximately 50,000 state government employees in Mizoram, authorities are facing a critical challenge as they work to address this widespread issue of proxy staffing.
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