Aizawl, The Mizoram Tourism Service Association, representing officers and staffers of the tourism department, on Wednesday backed the state government's decision to engage retired official R Lalrodingi as the director of the department.Mizoam tourism department's staff association defends Lalrodingi's reappointment as directorMizoram's influential student organisation, Mizo Zirlai Pawl , has accused Chief Minister Lalduhoma of blatant favouritism over the re-engagement of Lalrodingi as the tourism director following her superannuation.In a statement, the association expressed deep regret over an agitation by a student organisation blocking officers and staff from entering the Directorate of Tourism, halting official work.It said the state government decided to appoint Lalrodingi as the director of the tourism department as it understood the difficulties the department faced, and welcomed the order.The association clarified that Lalrodingi's appointment would neither block promotions of joint directors and other officers nor affect job prospects for the educated youth."The director's post can't be filled through direct recruitment. Instead, it is a promotional post filled sequentially only after a joint director completes the required qualifying service," the statement said, adding that only candidates with Tourism and Hospitality specialisation are eligible for feeder posts within the department.Lalrodingi, who retired as the additional director in the Commerce and Industries department on April 30, was re-employed by the government, giving dual charges as tourism director as well as OSD to the Chief Minister with effect from May 1 through an order issued on April 24.However, on May 15, the government cancelled the order and decided that she would continue only as OSD to the chief minister after the MZP met Chief Minister Lalduhoma and urged him to rescind her re-engagement as tourism director on May 13.The government changed its decision again on May 22 and ordered that Lalrodingi would take the additional charge as the director of tourism with immediate effect.The Mizoram Tourism Service Association clarified that Lalrodingi's assignment was not a promotion, as the posts of additional director in the Commerce and Industries department and tourism director carry the same pay level.It noted that Lalrodingi had been handling the dual responsibilities of OSD to the chief minister and tourism director since February 9, 2024.The present arrangement, it said, is merely a continuation of a stopgap arrangement due to the absence of eligible officers to occupy the director's post."Her experience and expertise are still greatly needed as the department is currently undertaking several new initiatives," the statement said.Defending the government's decision to re-employ a retired official, the MTSA pointed out that both the Central and state governments frequently reappoint retired personnel when necessary in the public interest.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.