KDVDFWA stages sit-in demanding honorarium hike, service regularization
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, July 28 2020:
Apart from its ongoing 'Pen down Strike' under the apex VDF body of the State, all VDF personnel of Kangpokpi District under the aegis of Kangpokpi District VDF Welfare Association staged a sit in today at Kangpokpi DHQs demanding hike in honorarium, 13 months' pay and regularization of service.
A pen down strike has been launched by the All Manipur VDF Welfare Association, the apex body of the VDF personnel of the State since July 16 seeking hike in honorarium, 13 months' pay and regularization of service with an ultimatum till July 30 .
The sit in organized by the Kangpokpi District VDF Welfare Association today at Kangpokpi DHQs was participated by all the VDF personnel of the district holding a placards which reads, "VDF singbu Police Constable amagi tolop 75% pibiyu", "13 months pay pibiyu", "VDF singgi service regularization tahan biyu", "VDF singgi demands pidriphaoba strike handokloi", etc.
Speaking to media persons on the sideline of the protest, Lamminlun Kipgen, president, KDVDFWA said that despite of the pen down strike since July 16, the State Government and concerned authority still remained a mute spectator towards their genuine demands compelling us to protest in the form of sit in today.
He continued that they have earlier submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister under the aegis of All Manipur VDF Welfare Association putting forwards their plights and demands for consideration within July 30.The Kangpokpi District VDF Welfare Association had also sought support and cooperation of all civil society organizations of Kangpokpi district in the ongoing stir in connection with their genuine demands, he said.
He pointed out that VDF personnel despite performing duty round the clock, are entitled only to an insignificant remuneration to the tune of Rs 7,500 and Rs 2,000 as ration money with which they find it hard to maintain their families.
He also added that in 2009, the basic pay of a police constable was fixed at around Rs 6,000 and the honorarium of a VDF was fixed at around Rs 3,000.A police constable presently enjoys around Rs 24,000 salary, he said and continued that their humble appeal is to increase their honorarium to 75% of the salary of constable.
"Since we are performing similar duty 24x7 like the police constable we also deserve 13 months pay as the police constables are enjoying," he said.
"We had joined the service ten years back to help the Manipur police in maintaining law and order and we now have no opportunity to join other service as most of our academic ages have crossed the age limit," he continued while maintaining that they deserve regularization of service.
Lamminlun Kipgen further said that their genuine demands are yet to be addressed even after 11 years while at the same time they are excluded from reimbursement facilities, death benefits and pension schemes despite their sacrifices they have made in safeguarding the law and order situation of the State.
He maintained that they are deployed in all main COVID Care Centres, isolation wards and two major Government hospitals without providing protective gears as if they are gifted to die.
Moreover four of them are assigned to every one policeman for other frontline duties but nothing worthy has been done till now when a VDF personnel got infected with virus, lamented.
He further pointed out that VDF personnel are put on duty in all Community Quarantine Centres, Institutional Quarantine Centres, COVID Care Centres, CM bungalow, Secretariat, MLAs' residences, etc.
"Unable to bear all the disadvantages, the VDF personnel from all the 16 districts unanimously decided to stands against all such discrimination and launched the pen down strike", asserted Lamminlun Kipgen while adding that if the Government fail to give positive response within July 30, there would be more intense form of agitation.
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