Responding to the dharna call given by the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF), the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association (CANSSEA) staged a statewide sit-in demonstration at CANSSEA office complex here Tuesday while its district units also organised similar demonstrations at their respective district headquarters.
The protest was held in support of AISGEF’s 11-point charter of demands submitted to the union government. The demonstrators were seen holding placards some of which read “Ensure 8th pay commission”, “our sweat, our service, we deserve OPS”, “one nation one pension”.
Addressing media persons, CANSSEA president Zubemo Lotha Tsanglao said the dharna was held in compliance with the call given by AISGEF.
Lotha highlighted that the protest could continue in the near future till the goals were achieved.
CANSSEA president informed that out of the 11-charter of demands set by AISGEF, some demands did not pertain to Nagaland state so they chose five demands for Nagaland.
He said that the CANSSEA representatives would meet the chief secretary and hand over representation.
The employees are demanding constitution of a State Pay Commission, repealing of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act, scrapping NPS/UPS, direct fund managers to return the amount deposited to the state government, and bring all subscribers under EPS-95 to a defined benefit pension system.
Implementing a comprehensive health insurance scheme with government support, ensuring cashless treatment in all hospitals for pensioners, regular and contractual employees under the CMHIS (Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme), and improve facilities in empanelled district hospitals is their third demand.
They have also asked for implementing in toto the eligibility criteria for induction/selection to the IAS cadre of Nagaland as per the vacancy circular of March 10 to ensure equity, meritocracy, and service security across cadres in state services.
NPS forum president, Avizo Nienu, also said that their main agenda was demand for scrapping National Pension System and restoring Old Pension Scheme. “We are talking about restoring the lives of lakhs of people. We are talking about securing the lives of old age parents and grandparents of retired people,” he said.
Stating that the state government has not responded to their representations and letters, he appealed to the government for possible means to find a way and respond to CANSSEA.
Wokha: CANSSEA Wokha unit organised protest at LSU Martyrs Park, where around 10 members from each department participated.
The protestors held placards highlighting key demands such as scrapping the NPS and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), restoring OPS, ensuring pay revision every five years, implementing eligibility criteria for induction into the IAS cadre, bringing all subscribers under EPS-95, introducing comprehensive health insurance for pensioners and contractual employees, and repealing the PFRDA Act.
Stating that sit-in demonstration was conducted peacefully, the union expressed hope for a positive outcome at the earliest.