ICDS workers reject partial-payment mode
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 16 2013:
Rejecting Social Minister AK Mirabai Devi's recent announcement that process is underway to clear six months salary out of the 12 months pending entitlements, All Manipur ICDS Employees' Union said the partial payment will not be acceptable.
Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of a sit-in-demonstration staged today at the office premises of Social Welfare Department, Union secretary S Nirvarani said non payment of salary to over 700 employees of the Department for a year had been creating serious problems to the employees.
Describing the sit-in-demonstration staged from around 9.30 am to about 3 pm today as a manifestation of pent-up frustration and to highlight their plight, Nirvarani said Rs 14.81 crore released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the first phase and second instalment of Rs 11.85 crores are too meagre as the combined amount would be hardly able to clear about four months salaries.
Moreover failure of the State Government to provide 10 percent of the salary package and consequent lapse in submitting utilisation certification is complicating the situation while the employees continue to suffer, the secretary expressed while suggesting that the Chief Minister as well as the Social Welfare Minister need to ensure that the State's shares are released periodically.
Not ruling out the Union intensifying the agitation in case relevant process to clear the pending salary amount is not initiated at the earliest, Nirvarani also questioned inability of the Government of Manipur to ensure regular salary to its employees when neighbouring States like Assam, Mizoram and Nagaland have no such problems.