Salaries disbursement begins, Manipur JAC undeterred

IMPHAL, April 19: Both factions of the apex body of government employees associations and trade unions, the Joint Administrative Council, JAC (AMGEO and AMTUC) have rejected the government appeal to end their cease work strike, even as disbursement of February and March salaries for the state uniformed services commenced today. Taking strong umbrage at the government decision to restrict arrears only to MR, police, jail and fire service personnel, both JA factions accused the government of discriminating among different groups of employees with the objective of playing divide and rule, and pledge to continue the cease work strike indefinitely. The government, in a notification issued yesterday, had cleared payment of salaries up to the month of March only for police, MR, jail and fire services personnel. In the meantime, the government, in a supplementary notification issued today, has cleared payment of salaries and arrears of employees of the Manipur secretariat and accounts and all other department, including ministerial staff, up to March. Principal Secretary (finance) Chibber, when contacted by IFP disclosed that disbursement of salaries for the state police began today, adding salary payment of other departments which are not taking part in the ongoing cease work strike would also be allowed. Chibber however warned that the RBI is likely to re-impose its restrictions on encashment of government bills and cheques within few days. Meanwhile, the Narendra group JAC has appealed to the state forces and uniform services not to fell into the government trap and accept their salaries, maintaining that the government was trying to break the unity of employees with such divide and rule tactics.