The growing absenteeism of Manipur government employees amid ethnic clashes in the state has triggered the state government to invoke ‘no work, no pay’ rule for its staff.

The decisions came after Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh chaired a cabinet meeting on June 12. The General Administration Department (GAD) has been asked to furnish details of employees who are not able to attend their official work due to the prevailing situation in the state, PTI reported.

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A circular issued on Monday night by GAD Secretary Michael Achom stated, “In pursuance of the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on June 12 and decision taken at para 5-(12) of the proceedings, all employees drawing their salaries from General Administration Department, Manipur Secretariat are informed that no work, no pay may be invoked to all those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorised leave.”

Manipur government has one lakh employees.

The circular also asked for all administrative secretaries to “furnish details of those employees who could not attend their official duty due to prevailing situation in the state indicating the details of employees such as designation, name, EIN, present address, to the General Administration Department and to the Personnel department, latest by June 28 so as to take appropriate necessary action.”

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Manipur violence

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

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Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.