Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday assured the Assembly that any state government officers found engaged in corruption will not be spared.
Mentioning that after the formation of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) not only the Education department but other departments also had not made any direct appointment, Khandu said, “I assure the House that if it (illegal appointment) is proven, we will terminate the illegal appointees and take action against the appointing authorities as per rules.”
The CM gave this assurance while intervening in the issue of alleged appointment of teachers and multi-tasking staff (MTS) without any interview in the Education Department that too in exchange for money as raised by senior Congress member Ninong Ering during ‘question hour’.
Earlier, Education Minister Taba Tedir, while replying to a supplementary from Ering, said that a departmental inquiry is on and added that “if any of the officers are found guilty we will take action against him/her as per CCS Conduct Rules”.
Raising the issue of alleged illegal appointment of teachers and MTS, the Pasighat West MLA said, “The way things have happened is very ‘shameful’.” Further expressing disappointment on the matter, he alleged that the departmental officers have misled the Minister concerned by giving wrong information and added that he was not satisfied with the ‘irresponsible’ answer.
“The way the Government brought in the APSSB to do away with the scourge of corruption is a welcoming step, but if such loopholes continue, then we will not be able to achieve our intended goal,” the Congress lawmaker asserted.
Claiming that he has got the evidence on illegal appointments, another lawmaker Lombo Tayeng said, “We have proof. We can submit through you, Speaker sir, it’s particularly from East Siang district.”
