7th Pay commission: Massive protest launched by these government employees, demand pay hike

7th Pay commission: These government employees, numbering over 100,000, who have been waiting for an announcement of a salary hike have run out of patience and launched a protest. This is in sharp contrast to Central government employees who are still patiently waiting for a hike in fitment factor and minimum pay beyond the recommendations of the 7th Pay commission. However, in this state, staff has indicated that it is not willing to wait any longer and took matters in their own hands. The state government employees in Manipur's secretariat have launched an indefinite cease-work strike from Monday and are demanding the implementation of the 7th CPC recommendations.
 
According to reports, the phased sit-in protest organised by the Joint Administrative Council (JAC) of two government employees organisations, other than secretariat employees, are also demanding enhanced pay as per 7th Pay commission recommendations have entered the 68th day in Manipur. S Shashikanta, vice president of the Manipur Secretariat Services Association, told IANS, "It is not that we want strike. All of us want to discharge official works sincerely. But then we should get the enhanced pay like other states. There`s no reason why the Manipur government cannot implement it. Tripura has already implemented it."
 
In a bid to calm down the state employees, Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar, in charge of the finance portfolio, reportedly explained the difficulties in implementing 7th pay commission recommendations: "If the enhanced pay is to be paid, we will need Rs 1,600 crore more every year. But we do not have this whopping amount." 
 
Chief Minister N Biren Singh reportedly said: "We agree in principle to pay as per the recommendations of the 7th pay commission. But we should be given some time to sort out the financial involvement."
 
Manipur, which depends on central government largesse as it does not have economic resources, is facing protest from over one lakh employees who are reportedly not convinced as to why the state government needs more time to meet their demands unlike other states. 
 
The agitating leaders have stated said that they were not demanding immediate implementation of the enhanced pay under teh 7th pay commission, but at least a time table for the same should be there. They have reportedly stated that they will continue with the indefinite cease-work since the government stand was untenable and their demands rightful.

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While the state government employees want the 7th pay commission implemented, the central government employees are demanding a salary hike beyond the recommendations of teh 7th CPC. They want it to be based on a fitment factor formula of 3.68x rather than the lesser 2.57x or even 3x.