Striking Manipur employees reject CM’s terms for pay hike

Imphal, April 26 (IANS) Over 100,000 government employees and 40,000 pensioners in Manipur have rejected the terms and conditions spelt out by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for implementing the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

On Thursday, employees of the Forest and the Economics and Statistics departments abstained from work and staged a sit-in protest.

A leader of the striking employees said: "Conditions like setting up another fitment committee to examine the issue including source of additional fund are totally unacceptable to the government employees and pensioners."

On the sidelines of a party function in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office last week, Biren Singh said the government had agreed in principle to give enhanced pay and pension as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission.

"But Manipur can't afford to arrange an additional fund of Rs 1,600 crore annually to pay the enhanced pay and pension. The committee shall examine all aspects," he added.

L. Biken, Secretary of the Joint Action Committee spearheading the protests, said a committee had already been formed. "As such, it is a merely a delaying tactics."

According to senior officials, the striking employees were reporting for duty on time but refusing to do any official work.

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