TYCM Seeks 7th Pay Benefits for District Council Employees

 Ukhrul, Mar 8: The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), General Headquarters, submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur on March 7, 2025, urging for effecting 7th Pay benefits for employees of District Councils as per Office Memorandum dated 28/07/2018 (No. 1/10/2018-FD(PIC) and Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2019. TYCM also demanded the removal of ADCs from Office Memoranda dated 08/12/2021 and 02/08/2022 and strict enforcement of all entitled benefits under Section 53 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Rules, 1972.

The Finance Department, Government of Manipur, issued an Office Memorandum (OM) dated 28th July 2018 vide No. 1/10/2018-FD(PIC), adopting the revised pay structure as per the 7th Central Pay Commission, effective from 1st January 2016 and actual implementation w.e.f. 01-04-2019, for all employees of the Government of Manipur.

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Contrary to the earlier OM dated 28th July 2018 vide No. 1/2/2020-FD(PIC), the Finance Department issued another OM on dated 08/12/2021 &  dated 02/08/2022, stating that the matter was re-considered / re-examined by the Cabinet given the heavy financial constraints in the State and, accordingly, the State Cabinet in its meeting held on 04.01.2022 had decided that grant of pay under the Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2019 in respect of the employees of all Autonomous Bodies, Local Bodies, Agencies, Grant-in-Aid Institutions, Corporations, Societies. Boards, PSU, Commissions, etc. under the State Government including District Councils for which approval of Cabinet has not been obtained earlier, shall be w.e.f. 01.04.2023 without notional effect.

The inclusion of District Councils in the OM dated 02/08/2022 vide No. 1/2/2020-FD(PIC) is not in the interest of the tribal populace and is unacceptable to the tribal communities of Manipur, TYCM said.

Further, the TYCM stated that the ADCs, established under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971, are statutory government bodies, not grant-in-aid institutions or corporations. However, the State Government’s decision to withhold 7th Pay benefits contradicts past precedents and violates the equal treatment of government employees. ADC employees received 6th Pay Commission benefits under Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2010, and denying them 7th Pay benefits is unjust and unlawful.

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The rights, privileges, and entitlements of ADC employees are provided under Section 53 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Rules, 1972:- Conditions of service of officers and other employees: The Fundamental Rules, the Supplementary Rules and other rules prevailing under the Manipur Government governing the conditions of service for Government servants shall apply to all officers and other employees of the Council in respect of all matters or any of them relating to their leave, pay leave allowance, subsistence grant, pension and similar other matters, except where these Rules provide otherwise.

Moreover, this discriminatory policy adversely affects ADC employees (teachers), violating the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and diminishing the quality of education for tribal children. TYCM-GHQ condemns this suppression of tribal rights and demands immediate rectification to ensure fair treatment of ADC employees in parity with other department employees.

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