VDF personnel threaten stir over low pay
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 13 2015: Peeved with the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the government towards demands made by Village Defence Forces (VDF) personnel deployed in the nine districts of the State, the All Manipur VDF Welfare Association (AMVWA) has decided to launch series of intense agitation if its demands are not fulfilled at the earliest.

The decision was taken during a discussion programme on the topic 'General Conference for the Welfare of VDF Persons in Manipur' organized by AMVWA at the auditorium of Irawat Bhavan on Tuesday.

The programme was attended by Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, president of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU); N Shanta Singh, advisor cum chairman of AMVWA; L Sotinkumar, secretary of All India Trade Union Congress; Prof L Sadananda, secretary of Senior Citizen for Society and H Kulamani, secretary of All Manipur Road Transport & Drivers' Motor Workers' Union as presidium members.

Addressing the gathering, L Sotinkumar pointed out that monthly honorarium of VDF personnel which is around Rs 4000/Rs 5000 is much lesser as compared to other active service professions while lamenting that VDF personnel are finding hard to look after their families by the meager amount of monthly pay.

He said that the government should be aware of the uneasy work styles of VDF personnel who are performing their duties under unfavorable conditions.

Monthly honorarium of VDF personnel should be increased to around Rs 15, 000 considering skyrocketing price rise of all essential commodities, he demanded.

Saying that numerous memorandums have been submitted to the government demanding increase of honorarium of VDF personnel and several others but no positive response has been provided till time, he urged the government to set up a separate battalion for VDF forces.

During the conference, a committee comprising Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, president of AMWJU; N Shanta Singh, advisor cum chairman of AMVWA; L Sadananda Singh, secretary of Senior Citizens for Society and three VDF's representatives was unanimously formed to take up future course of action in connection with the long pending demands of VDF personnel.

Subsequent upon its formation, the committee decided to launch onslaught of intense agitation if the government does not provide positive response to the demands at the earliest.

It also appealed to the concerned civil society organizations, clubs and women's organizations to extend support to the legitimate demands of VDF personnel.

Several resolutions meant for welfare of VDF personnel were also adopted during the discussion programme.

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