Port Blair, Sept 23: The Central Govt. Employees and Workers all over India observed today (19th September, 2018) as ‘All India Demands Day’ to press the 10 – Point Charter of Demands submitted to Govt. of India. The call to observe the day as ‘Demands Day’ was given by the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, New Delhi. The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an affiliate of the Confederation, has organized various protest programmes all over the Islands today as a part of All India agitation. A Mass Demonstration was organised at the Secretariat Gate, Port Blair at 4.30 p.m. demanding (1)Withdrawal of New contributory Pension Scheme (2)Settlement of 7th CPC related issues including increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment Factor (3) Filling up all vacant posts including promotional posts (4)Regularisation of all Casual and Contract employees (5)Stop Privatisation, etc. A large number of government employees from various departments participated in the Mass Demonstration, braving heavy rain, which was led among others by Mr. P.Satyapal, President, Mr. R Surendran Pillai, Assistant General Secretary, Mr. D N Banerjee, Vice President, Mr. D S Clement Steephan, Finance Secretary, Smti Suma Nair, Vice President, Clerical Cadre Branch, Mr. R D Yadav, Vice President, South Andaman Teachers’ Branch and Smti. Reba Rani Sarkar, Vice President, Health Department Sub-Committee.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. T S Sreekumar, General Secretary of the Association exhorted the employees and workers, especially the young, to intensify the struggle against the New Contributory Pension Scheme. He further said employees who have joined the service after 2004 are retiring with a meager pension of Rs 1000 to 3000 where as employees covered under old pension scheme are assured of minimum basic pension of Rs 9,000. He also criticized the central government for back-tracking from its assurance on increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment Factor. He also said the Confederation has already conveyed its decision to organize Nation-wide strike on 15th November, if the demands are not settled by then.
Mr. S.L Vinjit, Secretary, SATB and Smti. Nasreen Begum, Organizing Secretary of the Association also addressed the gathering and demanded early settlement of various local demands.
Similar programmes were also organized at other islands including Diglipur, Rangat, Kadamtala & Baratang. At Diglipur the programme was organized in front of AC Office under the leadership of Mr. S.Arumugam and Mr. B.N.Mandal. The Rangat branch of the Association organized Massive Demonstration in front of AC office, Rangat. Mr. Santosh Kumar Roy, Mr. Natarajan, Mr. Debashish Mukherjee addressed the gathering. At Kadamtala, the demonstration was held under the leadership of Mr. Ashim Kumar Das, Mr. F.S.Sagar and Mr. Shyamal Biswas. Mr. R.P.Singh and Mr. Biswajit Biswas led the Mass Demonstration at Baratang.
