SHILLONG: State Government employees have sought salary hike at par with the Central government staff even as the government is yet to give any commitment in this regard.
After the 13th Federal Council meeting of the Meghalaya State Government Employees’ Federation held here on Friday, the newly appointed president of the Federation, Macmillan Lyngdoh told reporters that the federation had urged the State Government to consider the revision of pay for the employees to be effective from January 2016 as per the memorandum submitted last year.
Stating that expenditure on government employees is investment on human capital, Lyngdoh said that the Federation will meet within the next two or three weeks to constitute a sub-committee to study the report of the 7th Pay Commission constituted by the Centre and other relevant reports so that suggestions for pay hike in line with the recommendations of Central Pay Commission can be submitted to the State Government.
Earlier, Chief Secretary PBO Warjri, while addressing the gathering of the employees asked them to maintain sincerity and dedication towards work.
He admitted that there are limitations on the part of the Government to implement many welfare measures for the employees due to paucity of funds. However, he said that over the years, the Government has been trying to meet the requirements of the employees which include various kinds of assistance.
“I encourage the employees to continue to work hard not for the sake of working for the Government, but to have the understanding that the Government belongs to us,” Warjri said.
Commenting on the promotion of employees, the Chief Secretary said that his main objective is not to leave a post vacant, not even for a day, and asserted that vacancy must be filled up a soon as it becomes available.
“The Government will initiate steps to improve service rules for the sake of employees and they must ensure that their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) are up to date and submitted on time,” Warjri said
Opposition to service rule amendment, post retirement posts
Earlier, commenting on the proposed amendment to the Meghalaya Conduct (Service) rules, the President of Employees Federation asked the State Government to re-examine the matter as the government servants are active in Church and other social organizations.
The proposed amendment to the service rules has prohibited government servants from being part of social and traditional bodies.
“Some members have expressed surprise over the amendment which if implemented will bar them from being part of many social organizations,” Lyngdoh said.
The members of the Federation also opposed the re-deployment of retired government servants and extension of service as according to them, this will hamper the promotion avenues of those in service.
“It is strange that in few cases, while the re-employed people occupied the higher ranks, the in-service people, continued to serve in the lower posts which is humiliating,” Lyngdoh said.
