Last Updated on November 11, 2021 8: 36pm
Postal services in rural areas of Manipur were paralysed due to a one-day hunger strike staged by the All India Gramin Dak Sevak Union (AIGDSU) Manipur division, NE circle at the general post complex in Imphal on Thursday.
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The ongoing nationwide strike by the union entered 10th day.
The main demand of AIGDSU, which launched an indefinite strike on May 22, is implementation of Kamlesh Chandra Committee report on pay revision of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), the postal workers. Around 1,900 GDS working across the districts of Manipur extended their support to the strike. Earlier GDS were known as Extra Departmental Agent.
“We will continue our strike until and unless our demands are fulfilled,” AIGDSU Advisor, Manipur Division, NE Circle, S Parikhuman told Northeast Now.
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Echoing a similar sentiment, AIGDSU Manipur division president W Ibohalbi and secretary S Yaima said the GDS plays a big role for the smooth functioning of the postal services in the state despite having their low pay structures.
“GDS has no seniority list not to speak of pension schemes,” S Yaima said. “But we’re told that it would be reflected once the new committee report is implemented.”
The strike has affected mainly two categories of people- pensioners, and persons with disabilities and senior citizens who received their pension at the 630 branch offices and 56 sub-post offices in Manipur. It is also affecting those who have been provided seasonal employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme besides other customers of postal life insurances and Sukanya Samriddhi accounts.
The hunger strike also affected delivery of postal articles including letters from the Public Service Commission and passports.