Arunachal invokes ESMA

The Arunachal Pradesh Govt has invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act to deal with employees on an indefinite pen down strike from February 5 demanding revised pay with arrears as per the sixth pay commission for central government employees.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act(ESMA) to deal with employees on an indefinite pen down strike from February 5 demanding revised pay with arrears as per the sixth pay commission for central government employees.

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The decision to invoke ESMA was taken at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Arunachal government had decided to implement the pay commission recommendations for its employees with some modifications from January. But the agitating employees, belonging to the districts, are demanding arrears from January, 2006.

With BJP extending support to the employees, the demand has become a poll issue. The north eastern state is going to the hustings for both Lok Sabha and the state assembly later this year.

According to Finance Minister Khalico Pull there are 53,000 government employees and 26,000 casual labourers in the state which has a population of only over 10 lakh.