TYCM Demands Strengthening ADCs, Immediate Disbursement of 7th Pay Arrears

Ukhrul, Mar 25: The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), General Headquarters submitted a formal representation to the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur today, urging the immediate disbursal of pending arrear amount of 7^th Pay (1st April 2019 – 31st March 2023) to employees of Autonomous District Councils, as committed/assured under the Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2019. Also, it recommended that the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, grant a “Special Financial Package” for the fund-starved ADCs of the hill districts in Manipur.  

Highlighting that the ADCs play a primary role in the development of the hills, especially in the educational sector, the TYCM demanded strengthening the ADCs to realize their full potential under the Act governing them.

Related | TYCM Seeks 7th Pay Benefits for District Council Employees

The TYCM stated that the Finance Department, Government of Manipur, issued Office Memorandum (OM) No. 1/10/2018-FD(PIC) dated 28^th July 2018, that the 7^th Pay would be effective from 1^st January 2016, with actual implementation commencing from 1^st April 2019 for all employees of the Government of Manipur. Subsequently, the State Government formalized this by enacting the Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2019, officially implementing the 7^th Pay benefits from 1^st April 2019.

However, contrary to this, the Finance Department issued another OM on 8^th December 2021, 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 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,” TYCM stated.

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Further, the tribal body stated that the Government of Manipur had granted the 6^th Pay benefits to the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) employees from January 1, 2006, to date, as per the entitlements of government employees. Therefore, there should be no question regarding the grant of the 7^th Pay benefits and other entitlements to them.

“The lack of uniformity in the implementation of rightful entitlements for Autonomous District Council (ADC) employees compared to other department employees by the Government of Manipur constitutes a blatant violation of the Right to Equality. Such disparity creates division and fosters resentment among communities in Manipur, undermining the principles of fairness and equal treatment,” it further stated, adding, “As of now, based on data available with the Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) Office, approximately 7988 employees are serving under the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).”

Before the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, the State Government may have faced financial burdens and constraints in disbursing the 7^th Pay Commission arrears to employees of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs). Now that Manipur has been under President’s Rule since 13th February 2025, all state budgets, funds, and development programs are directly managed and overseen by the Union Government. TYCM hopes that the Union Government will swiftly resolve the pending 7^th Pay arrears of ADC employees at the earliest. It also informed that the matter was also brought to the attention of the Governor of Manipur through a separate representation.

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