All Manipur ICDS Employees Union stages sit in protest

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 5: All Manipur Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Employees' Union staged a sit in protest today demanding for bifurcation of ICDS from Social Welfare Directorate.
Speaking on the sidelines, general secretary of All Manipur ICDS Employees Union, Sinam Tampha Devi said that ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme under Social Welfare Directorate working for the development of women and children.
Elaborating about the problems faced by the staff of ICDS, she said that though the staff of ICDS are delivering their duties diligently, they are deprived of their due rights  and benefits which an employee should receive.
Today's sit in protest has been staged taking into consideration the plights of the staff of ICDS owing to the pending salaries for months, no proper process of promotion etc, she added.
She continued that regarding their demands, they have communicated to authorities concerned however no response have been received so far.
The main demands of the union includes bifurcation of ICDS from Social Welfare Directorate, to appoint the Deputy Director of ICDS from among its functionaries only, to appoint a DPO each in all the districts of the State, to release the pay/honorarium/funds on time, to promote the Ministerial staff at the right time and an official should hold one post at a time.
Emphasizing on the appointment of Deputy Director of ICDS, the general secretary expressed discontent on the receipt of the news that a proposal is being framed by formulating a separate RR through District Program Officers excluding ICDS.
She further maintained that the works managed by ICDS are many therefore it is necessary that ICDS should function independently. The agitation will continue depending on the response of the Government and authorities concerned, she added.
In today's sit in protest, placards which read 'Bifurcate ICDS from Social Welfare Department' ,'We demand separate establishment' , 'We refuse shadow labour', 'We demand our rights' , 'Don't spoil our (ICDS) future' , 'Pay our Salary / honorarium on time', 'Same work same pay', 'Fill up DPO post', 'One official one post', 'Streamline promotion hierarchy and RR' etc.