Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 05:
All Manipur District Councils' ExMember s' Welfare Association has demanded the Government to pay pension to the ex-members and hold the election of the District
Council.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Hotel Nirmala today.
Association president H Baite lamented that though the rules for payment of pension to the members and employees of the District Council have been made, the same has not been implemented.
The election of the District Councils in the hill districts has not be held since it was last held in 1989 thereby hampering in the developmental process of the hill area and denying pension benefit to the ex-members.
So the Government should make arrangement for holding the election of the Council and extend pension benefit to the ex-members at the earliest possible, he demanded.
As per the rule, 18 members have to be elected as representatives of the people from each of the districts concerned to the District Councils.
Out of the 18 members, two are to be nominated and each of the members are responsible for looking after the smooth functioning of the primary schools, dispensaries and veterinary offices located within their respective jurisdiction apart from taking care of the inter-village affairs and conservation of tribal customary laws, culture, etc.
It is also the responsibility of the District Councils to facilitate communication among various communities and monitoring of the developmental schemes implemented under the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to ensure that the benefits are received by the people, Baite said.
He further informed that following the instruction from the Government of Manipur for formulating the rules and regulations for payment of pension to the employees of the District Council, the Association had drafted and submitted the rules prepared on the basis of the rules being followed in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Upper Assam in 2001.But the Government is yet to implement the said rules.
The Hill Area Committee of the District Council had also taken a resolution for payment of pension to the ex-members of the Council who have been elected as representatives of the people for three consecutive terms starting from the first term, he pointed out.