Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 19, 2010:
Demanding payment of arrears for 174 months and implementation of the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission in toto, pensioners of the State Government took out a protest rally today under the aegis of Manipur State Pensioners' Union.
The rally started from Singjamel Chingamakhong and marched towards the official residence of the Chief Minister.
But the rally was blocked by police near Old Secretariat.
The protesters carried placards which read as "Fulfill the demands of pensioners", "Pay out due arrears for 174 months", "Don't forfeit rights of aged pensioners", "Implement recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission in full", etc.
Notably, pensioners have been staging sit-in-protest since January 27 at Keishampat demanding payment of arrears for 174 months which shifted to Singjamei hingamakhong from February 8. Convenor of Manipur State Pensioners' Union Ibochouba Longjam asserted that the SPF Government has been forfeiting arrears of 174 months entitled to pensioners, family pensioners and employees.
Arrears starting from the month of January, 2005 till January 2008 have not been paid as yet.
Since 2008, the pensioners have been staging protest demonstrations including protest rallies at regular intervals urging the State Government fulfill their demands.
However, the State Government is yet to come up with a positive response, Dr Ibochouba lamented.
Observing that the State Government has been in vesting huge amounts of money in development projects/schemes, he expressed strong reservations against taking development projects and schemes while violating the rights of pensioners by way of with holding the arrears to the pensioners.
Ibochouba went on to ask if there was any State in India whose Government forfeited monthly arrears of their own employees.
The Manipur State Pensioners' Union would continue with various democratic forms of protest demonstration until and unless their genuine demands are fulfilled, the convenor added.