Imphal, December 23: With Manipur having recorded the lowest economic growth rate among all the North Eastern States during the 10th and 11th Five Year Plan periods due to impacts of frequent bandhs and blockades, the State Government has decided to take up stringent action against those employees who do not attend offices on bandh/blockade days.

In this regard, Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has directed all the heads of departments to check/monitor their staff on all bandh/blockade days in the morning at 9.30 and evening at 4.30. The directive issued by the Chief Secretary on December 20 further made it clear that all those employees who do not attend office without sufficient reasons conveyed in advance of the bandh day should not be given salary for that day.

The attendance and action taken report should be submitted to the Joint Secretary (GAD) within three days of such bandhs/blockades, the directive insisted.

In a State like Manipur, where more than 50 percent of a calendar year are under the imposition of some sort of bandhs/blockades, there is the need to ensure a regular framework for checking attendance of Government employees on such days, the directive noted.

The directive issued by the Chief Secretary has also taken serious note of some banks and financial institutions that do not open their establishments/branches during bandhs/blockades despite adequate security provision.

It may be noted here that a report brought out by the Union Planning Commission recently revealed that with an average growth rate of 4.9 percent during the last five years from 2002-07 and 5.9 percent during the 11th plan period, Manipur has lowest rate of economic growth among all the North Eastern States.

Narrowing down on bandhs and other form of agitation as the chief factor impeding economic development, the report noted that out of total number of days from May 1, 2006 upto July 31, 2006, there were bandhs and blockades on either National Highway-39 or National Highway-53 or on both the National Highways for 53 days.

Moreover, out of these days, there were also bandhs in some parts of the State for 81 days.The Department of Economic and Statistics had also calculated that if there is one day bandh in Greater Imphal area, the loss of State GDP is Rs 2.30 crores and if there is a bandh in whole Manipur for one day, the loss to State GDP is Rs 7.54 crores.

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