Imphal, January 27 2010: Demanding payment of their due arrears before implementation of 6th Central Pay Commission as well as implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission just like in other States of the country, Manipur State Pensioners' Union has begun an indefinite hunger strike from today at Keishampat Junction here.

The Union has also warned of taking recourse to other form of agitations like silent protest rally, imposition of economic blockade if the State Government continues to neglect these demands.

Participating in the hunger strike, president of Manipur State Pensioners' Union Huidrom Yaima pointed out that the arrear payable to the pensioners has accumulated over the years as the Government fails to clear the payment in time.

Now without any consideration on clearing the accumulated arrear, the Government has come out with the announcement that 6th Central Pay Commission would be effected from April 1 this year.

This is nothing but deprivation of the rights of the pensioners.

The Government should not think that the pension to the Family pensioners and the Government employees are being paid from the private pockets of the Ministers, he said.

In pursuance of these demands, the Union had launched various agitations in the past.

But the Government has not given any response nor any opportunity for holding talks in this regard, he lamented.

In other neighbouring States, all the pensioners and employees have enjoyed upto 73 percent of the DA/DR.But in Manipur, after leaving out thousands of pensioners and employees, only the judiciary class has been provided 73 percent of the DA/DR by an order on January, 11, 2010.The pensioners and employees are receiving only 47 percent of the DA/DR, he pointed out.

Implementation of 6th Central Pay Commission without clearing the due arrears by reducing the basic pension is not acceptable.

The pending arrears should be cleared before effecting implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission, he demanded.

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