Nagaland Planning Machinery Service Association strike from today

Our Correspondent Kohima, July 15 (EMN): The failure of the state government to meet the demands of the Nagaland Planning Machinery Service Association (NPMSA) has forced them to stage a protest starting from July 16 to the 18th.  It will be the first phase of the association’s ‘pen-down’ agitation to show their resentment against the government. Addressing a press conference in Kohima on July 15, NPMSA members led by Imlikokba Longkumer and Augustine M Yanthan, said that they had met with the chief secretary of Nagaland, earlier on the same day, and had a “casual discussion”; and that “nothing concrete” emerged out of their discussion. The state government has failed to respond to the association’s demand for the removal of an officer on special duty (OSD) to Skill Development from ‘cadre post’ appearing in schedule I&II of the Nagaland Planning Machinery Service rule 2019, they said. According to the association, the state government has failed to provide assurance, in a written form, to meet their demands. If the government do not concede to the demands, the association said, it has plans for a second phase agitation by next week and will proceed to an “indefinite” strike later. "Our attempt is to appeal the government to review the decision taken by the court and not against any individual or organisation. We are voicing out against discrimination on the part of the government (sic)," the NPMSA members stated. If at all the OSD (Skill development) is not removed from ‘cadre post’, as many as 56 people who have been NPMSA members for many years will be “suppressed.” The association stated that OSD (Skill Development) “should be in her position and not disturb the planning mechanism”, as such an act would mean "infringement of our rights.”