VDF men decry

IMPHAL, Aug 7: Denouncing the Cabinet decision yesterday that increased the monthly emolument of the VDF (Village Defence Force) personnel to Rs 10,500 'including ration money', the personnel engaged in the COVID Care Centres and COVID-related duties are leaving their posts with immediate effect, said the All Manipur VDF Welfare Association today.
Further, the VDF personnel are leaving all their stations and launching indefinite economic blockade from midnight of August 10, cautioned the association.
Stating that the Cabinet decision fell short of their demands, the association in a statement said that the association along with its associated units and associations have been demanding service security, regularisation of the personnel, 13 months pay and a monthly salary of at least Rs 18,666 ie 75 per cent of a police constable's salary.
The VDF personnel have been staging arms down strike since July 16 and the associated units and associations had launched many forms of agitation since then, said the association reiterating that the VDF personnel are taking out a mega rally towards CM Bungalow and Assembly Hall on August 10.
The VDF personnel were getting a monthly emolument of Rs 7,500. The ration money of Rs 2000 is not credited to the respective accounts of the VDF personnel. The ration money is utilised by the respective Commanders for the purpose of getting ration, said the association emphasising that the ration money cannot be treated as part of the monthly emolument. The Cabinet decision which treated the ration money as part of the monthly emolument is unfortunate, it said. However, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the association is willing to postpone its agitation if the Government assures to award the monthly emolument of Rs 10,500, which excludes the ration money.
In what the association describes as the 'last stand' to get their demands, the about 10,050 VDF personnel are leaving all COVID related duties with immediate effect. All personnel are leaving their posts and stations and imposing indefinite economic blockade from August 10 midnight, said the association.