Imphal, December 13: While appealing to the agitating pensioners to call off their relay hunger strike, Chief Minister O Ibobi today informed the Assembly that efforts are being made to pay off the pension amount to the pensioners in two equal installments before end of the financial year next year.

Raising a call attention motion during the Assembly session today, FPM MLA I Hemochandra alleged that the Government has not taken up any measure to resolve the agitation being launched by the pensioners in the State.

Responding to it, the Chief Minister, who is also in charge of Finance, said that talks have been held on different occasions with the pensioners and given assurance that efforts would be made to pay off their pending amount in two equal installments instead of three as promised earlier, by March next year.

Informing the House that the inservice employees are also exerting pressure for paying their one time DA if the pensioners would be given their DA, the CM estimated requirement of around Rs 27 crores for releasing DA to the pensioners alone with Rs 194.12 crs needed for one time payment to the inservice employees.

In view of the fact that Government would have to spend a huge amount in this connection, the Chief Minister appealed to the agitating pensioners to concede to the proposal of paying off the pending DA and arrears in two equal installments.

Raising the call attention motion, Hemochandra pointed out that the pensioners have been on strike for more than two months as their three-months pensions have not been paid.

During this period, seven pensioners have passed away without getting their demands.

Efforts should be made to increase the DA amount in accordance to the ROP, 1999 and pay off the backlog amount so that the pensioners could live in peace, he appealed while drawing the attention of the Chief Minister to the plights of the pensioners in the State.

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