Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17 2010:
The Government of Manipur has constituted a team to hold talks with the agitating Government employees even as the threat of the slapping dies non against employees who do not attend office failed to subdue to movement as employees in the State Secretariat went ahead with indefinite cease work strike from today in pursuance of their demand for implementation of Central 6th Pay Commission in totality.
With the functioning of the Secretariat, which is regarded as the backbone of the State administration, crippled, Governor Gurbachan Jagat reportedly invited leaders of the Manipur Secretariat Service Association for talks on Monday.
On the other hand, to initiate talks with the leaders of JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO which is spearheading the ongoing agitation of the Government employees, a four-member Ministerial team led by Revenue Minister Th Debendra has been set up.
The Ministerial team was set up after a detailed discussion on the issue during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and attended by senior Ministers of the SPF Government, and the Chief Secretary among others.
To facilitate the talks, Principal Secretary (Finance) AN Jha, who is currently in New Delhi, has also been asked by the Chief Secretary to return to Imphal tomorrow.
In support of the stir being spearheaded by JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO over the same demand, employees of the State Secretariat yesterday took mass casual leave and from today they launched an indefinite cease work strike as announced earlier, thus paralysing the functioning of the Secretariat for the second consecutive day.
To ensure no untoward incident occur during the course of the agitation, stringent security measures have been put in place in and around the Secretariat.
Meanwhile, in support of the ongoing cease work strike of the JAC, Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat Employees' Association has announced its decision for staging a sit-in-protest in the Assembly complex for one day on April 19 during office hour and then start a cease work strike from April 20 till the implementation of the recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission by the Government of Manipur, according to a statement issued by Association secretary S Jayenta Singh.