Aizawl: In a major administrative reform measure, the Mizoram government has terminated 29 employees across various departments for illegally hiring proxy workers to perform their official duties in violation of service norms, Personnel and Administrative Reforms Minister K. Sapdanga informed the state Assembly on Tuesday.
Responding to questions from members, Sapdanga said disciplinary action had been initiated against 37 employees found to have engaged substitutes in their place of posting. “Altogether, 37 employees have been penalised for hiring proxy or substitute workers on their behalf. Of these, 29 have been terminated from service, while the remaining eight employees received minor penalties,” he said.
The Minister added that the penalties have been recorded in the employees’ Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), which could adversely affect their future service prospects.
The action follows a directive issued by the Zoram People’s Movement government led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, mandating all government staff to return to their designated places of posting in 2024 to curb the long-standing practice of engaging proxies.
Soon after assuming office in December 2023, the government sought self-declarations from employees. More than 3,600 employees admitted to hiring substitute staff, with the Health Department accounting for the highest number at 1,115.
Of those who made disclosures, over 2,000 cited health-related issues as the reason for hiring proxies, while 703 attributed it to domestic problems. Other factors included the lack of residential quarters in rural areas, the inaccessibility of remote villages and language barriers.
In June 2024, the government directed all such employees to report to their designated posting places within 45 days of the notification. In March last year, Lalduhoma informed the Assembly that there had been no reports of employees continuing the practice following the government’s order.
The Chief Minister has also announced that employees who are no longer fit to discharge their duties may opt for voluntary retirement under the newly introduced Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme.
Under the Mizoram Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme, 2024, notified in January 2025, regular employees governed by the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, who have not completed a minimum of 20 years of service, as well as those covered under the Mizoram New Defined Contributory System, 2010, are eligible to seek voluntary retirement under specified conditions.
Officials estimate the total number of government employees in the state to be between 45,000 and 50,000.