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Toshi Wungtung with the members of Village Guards Association of Nagaland at the Commissioner’s Rest House in Kohima.[/caption]
Dimapur, May 10 (EMN): Village Guards Association of Nagaland (VGAN) has aired its grievances concerning meagre salary and lack of other welfare facilities, while it also sought the intervention of the concerned legislator to address the issues on priority.
The association has highlighted its grievances to the advisor of IPR, SCERT and Village Guards, Toshi Wungtung, when it called on the latter at Commissioner’s Guest House in Kohima recently. The association has congratulated the advisor on his several assignments including the village guards.
The association apprised the legislator that the wages of village guards is too meagre as compared to the corresponding services rendered by them. They have also highlighted on the current deplorable facilities made available to them.
The association press release stated that village guards is one of the oldest force in the country, wherein many lives have been sacrificed in the process of peace keeping and protection of the nation. It added that more than 20 personnel had been awarded Ashok Chakra by the President of India as compared to other forces of the nation.
The association lamented that their plea for enhancement of wages and better facilities have not been implemented till date despite several assurances made by the officers and government in the past.
The association stated that it had approached the Guahati High Court for addressing their grievances. Subsequently, the court passed an order on November 9, 2017, acknowledging that the existing wages and allowances of village guards is ‘too meagre and too little.’ The court had directed the state government to examine and raise the same to a reasonable level but not less than that of the Home Guards of the state.
“Since the VGs have waited for such a day for too long a time, the exercise should be complete within a period of 2(two) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Such increase in the wages and allowances should be made effective from 01.01.2017 since they have suffered for so long,” the association stated quoting the court’s order.
Toshi Wungtung told the association that he has been working for the welfare of the village guards since the last 10 years, adding that he has taken up the issue of the village guards at several levels in different capacities. Besides raising the wages of the village guards, Toshu Wungtong assured to work for better administration, infrastructure, facilities of the village guards on priority. He further assured to make all efforts for the betterment in fulfilling the needs of the village guards at the earliest.
Toshi Wungtung also advised the village guards to work with dedication and sincerity and asked them to be prepared with Aadhar card of all the personnel. He has assured to take up the matter with the state and central governments for speedy implementation.
The association also quoted the declaration of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at Tuensang on February 22, 2017, who reportedly stated that “if the state government does not have sufficient fund, the central government will give the fund for increasing the wages of the village guards of Nagaland.”
It also quoted the minister of state for home, Kiren Rijiju, who had vouched for enhancement of wages of the village guards in several public meetings. Besides, it also quoted, Neiphiu Rio, the chief minister of Nagaland, during a public rally on February 21, 2018, in Meluri, who had assured to increase the wages of village guards to INR 15000 if his party is voted to power.