Imphal, April 27 2009: WITH A view to curb militants extortion of money from its employees by way of cutting percentage from the monthly salaries, Manipur government has made compulsory payment of salaries and other entitlement employees through bank accounts.

The state finance department has issued an order regarding the matter on April 18 last asking all the employees to open their bank accounts compulsorily within this current month April, official source said today.

The move of the state finance department is a part of the Manipur government action plan to control/minimize extortion/threat retaliation carrying out by the undergrounds.

Manipur government has set up a Special Cell in the state police department to deal with the subject in February this year.

The set up will have its branches in Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Karnataka and New Delhi etc.

which would work in co-ordination with the police in these states.

Another objective of the payment of salaries is to take advantage of technological advancement in the field of financial management and to minimize handling of cash by government offices and institutions, it said.

The payment of salaries will start effective from May 1 next, said a government order said asking all concern head of departments, banks and employees to comply strictly with the procedure laid down under the new system.

With the introduction of the new system of drawal and disbursement of pay and allowances, general provident funds (GPF)/medical advance, TA/DA and other allowances and entitlement of employees through bank accounts, employees who are yet to open the bank accounts have been asked to open the same during the current month.

DDOs and cashiers of the government departments are also deducting 60 to 70 percent or 50 to 60 percent once in three consecutive months from the salaries of the employees is also another scenario of undergrounds extortion in the state, according to the analysis report of the state home department.

In order to curb with the alarmingly increase extortion activities of the militants, government set up a Special Cell under the control of the state police department.

The cell will have its branches outside the state like in Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Karnataka and New Delhi etc.

and will work close coordination with the police of the respective states, an official disclosed.

Government is also planning to deployment of police commandos on the national highways till the completion of the rail-line upto Imphal which is targeted within 2012 or 2015, the source maintained.

Outside the state, as per a government analysis reports undergrounds are carrying out their extortion activities by summoning officials and businessmen to specific location in the cities like Guwahati, Shillong, Kolkata, Dimapur, Bangalore etc.

It also said, undergrounds, mostly by the NSCN(IM) are collecting illegal taxes at Dimapur from all goods ferrying vehicles, passenger buses and taxis like Tata Sumo etc.

from Manipur.

Goods brought by train upto Dimapur by train mean for Manipur are not allowing lifting from Dimapur without payment of huge extortion money.

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