Govt urged to revise Minimum Wage Act
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 07 2022:
While lauding passing of a Bill for setting up Staff Selection Board of the state, Manipur Government Service Federation (MGSF), Manipur Secretariat Services' Association (MSSA) and Manipur State Pensioners' Union (MSPU) have urged the state government to revise Minimum Wage Act in the state and also take up more positive initiatives with regard to the new pension scheme.
Speaking to media persons at Pensioners' Shanglen located at Pishumthong on Sunday, MGSF senior vice president Laishram Sarat termed passing of the Bill for setting up Staff Selection Board of the state as historic and said that it is one of the long-standing demands of the three unions.
Such initiative is a new step towards preventing corruption in the state, he added.
Stating that Minimum Wage Act which was revised in 2016 in the state needs to be reviewed again after five years that is in 2021, Sarat continued that there are reports where muster roll employees in engineering department are not getting wages according to 'ACR' and also suitable dearness allowance.
The Act is not only for muster roll employees of the government but it covers all daily wage earners and workers in unrecognised sector.
As such, the government should revise it, he urged.
Pointing out that the unions have discussed the issue of frequent losing of service book and pension book in the state, he asked all concerned to submit a copy of the lost book and further urged not to trust those who promise to process pension for them.
Those who have lost the pension book and service book can visit MSPU office and submit payment order of pension and their details to general secretary of the union, he continued, while assuring that the union will extend all possible help.
Sarat also noted that the issue of non-releasing of pensioners' fund was discussed thoroughly during the assembly session and it is a big issue for the pensioners.
He appealed to pensioners to come to the office of the union for discussing the matter.
While contending that the new pension scheme is controversial, he maintained that pensioners have faced tremendous inconveniences as money deducted from pensioners and employees for depositing as Pension Fund Regulatory Authority of India was not deposited by the government.
Protests will be staged in several states of the country in this regard, he said, while urging the state government to look into the matter and take up positive steps in connection with the new pension scheme.
Urging the government to streamline the two power corporations so as to solve the issues faced by electricity employees, he also urged to release the salary of the employees.