Hundreds of members of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) took to the streets in Agartala in Tripura demanding 28 points charter of demands, which includes implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC).
They gathered in front of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here and went through the streets of the capital city before they were stopped by a large contingent of police in front of circuit house on way to the Secretariat.
Convener of Tripura BMS, Subir Debbarma has alleged, "The Tripura government employees do not even get half of what the central or other state government employees get."
"Besides, they are also deprived as the state government has not implemented the 7th CPC," he said.
"We demand that the Tripura government employees get salary at par with their Central counterparts," the convenor said.
He added: "Though the 7th CPC has been implemented everywehere, in our state even the 6th CPC is yet to be implemented. We demand its implementation immediately."
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"We demand that immediately all fixed paid employees be turned into permanent employees," Debbarma said, adding, "Ours is not a poor state as the Centre gives the highest fund to Tripura being a hilly state but the present government wants to keep the people of the state poor as without poor people their politics cannot run."
In the meantime, organising secretary of BMS Sunil Kirwai said, "If the employees of Tripura get the benefit of the 7th CPC then other employees like those working in the autonomous council, municipal council, khadi gram udyog or the ICDS shall also be benefitted financially. So the 7th CPC has to be implemented."
For the last 20 years, people were engaged on temporary basis for permanent position, he poinmted out and asked, "Why for permanent posts there shall be temporary employment?"
Kirwai said that they demand all these people be given permanent status.
"Hundreds of posts are lying vacant here in spite of the youths being unemployed so we demand that these posts be filled up by appropriate candidates but the government's attitude is not right."
He added that one of their demands is that like the Madhya Pradesh government, the Government of Tripura should also reduce the state value added tax (VAT) on petrol, which is the prime reason behind price hike and inflection.
The rally was stopped at circuit house area, after which the delegations met the state Chief Secretary at the secretariat building, where they handed over their charter of demands.
Some of the main demands include declaration of employees of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and autonomous bodies as state government employees and be provided with same facilities, regularisation of contractual services, filling up of all vacant posts through competitive written examination, minimum salary of Rs 18,000, allowance for unemployed youths and ensuring social security.
They also demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the recent murder of Tripura TV journalist Santanu Bhaumik.