Dimapur, March 21 (MExN): Work-charge employees from ten departments carried out a token demonstration today, expressing resentment against the Nagaland Government’s apparent indifference to its demands. Under the banner of All Nagaland Inter-Departmental Field Staff Associations Joint Forum (ANIDFSAJF), work-charge employees had issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Nagaland government on March 14. The deadline ended on March 21.
The ANIDFSAJF is demanding “revision of pay and regularization of services of work-charge employees” based on a directive of the Gauhati High Court dating to March 2012. The ultimatum which was made after two earlier representations had been submitted to the Chief Minister in February 3 and March 6, 2014. On March 21, the demonstrations were observed in all district headquarters from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. In Kohima, the forum demonstrated in front of the Nagaland Secretariat.
The employees are protesting the rigid salary system and against the lack of a pension plan. One of the employees demonstrating in Dimapur rued the fact that many work-charge employees have retired after serving 30-plus years, on a meagre monthly pay, without any pension benefit. “Many more will face the same fate if the government do not attend to our demands.” The demonstrator further alleged that backdoor appointments and “ministerial chits” prevent deserving work-charge employees from getting their services ‘regularised’. There are an estimated 20, 000-plus workers employed by the state government on fixed pay. This workforce of the government is employed for menial and often dangerous tasks.
The next phase of the agitation will be in the form of ‘cease work,’ which will result in disruption of water and power supply. The protesters further cautioned that they would resort to road blockades. ANIDFSAJF sources later informed that its colleagues, demonstrating in Kohima, could not meet any government official. They were met by an undisclosed Minister’s PS (Personal Secretary), who relayed a message that the forum’s demands will be looked into only after the LS elections, the sources said. With the Chief Minister in the fray, the sources were apprehensive of their demands being left in the backburner.
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