A high-level meeting, chaired by Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi on Friday night, failed to evolve a strategy and come out with a package for the government employees and several influential tribal organisations that have been on an indefinite strike since January 16.
On Saturday, the entire administrative machinery came to a halt as the employees of the Manipur Secretariat joined the strike, demanding revised pay scale as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.
On Friday, the Secretariat employees took en masse casual leave to register their protest against the “no- work-no-pay” policy of the government.
Enough funds, says JAC
The Joint Administrative Council of the All Manipur Trade Unions Council and the All Manipur Government Employees Association ridiculed the government explanation that since it did not have Rs. 1,000 crore, it could not pay the arrears and pensions with retrospective effect from January 1, 2006.
In a statement, the JAC said Mr. Ibobi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, was misleading the people, citing paucity of fund.
