CANSSEA stage sit-in protest across Nagaland, submit charter of demands

Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 23

The Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employees’ Association (CANSSEA) staged a state wide sit-in dharna in line with the directive of the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF).

The dharna held on September 23, was peaceful and it has not affected the normal functioning of offices in the state.

The CANSSEA officials met Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen in Kohima and submitted a representation in reiteration of its 5 charters of demand as state-specific issues for Nagaland along with AISGEF’s 11 point charter of demands in general level.

Talking to media persons during the central programme at CANSSEA office complex in Kohima, CANSSEA President, Zubemo Tsanglao Lotha said that it had staged sit-in- dharna in compliance with the directive of the AISGEF. 

Lotha stated that the strike may continue “till its goals are achieved.”

Stating that CANSSEA had added one demand on IAS induction issue, he said, “We have requested the State Government time and again to include criteria Number 4, where anybody who has come through Nagaland Public Service Commission should be inducted.”

Stating that the Association will continue to fight for this, he hoped that the government will address the same with positivity.

Avizo Nienu, President, Nagaland National Pension System Government Service Employees Forum (NNSGSEF) said that one of the agendas is to scrap National Pension System (NPS) and to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

“This is about securing the future of lakhs of employees and ensuring dignity for pensioners,” he said.

“There might be challenges, implications and problems but I am sure that there would be possibility to find ways to restore OPS,” he said and appealed the government to look into the matter for the welfare of the employees and the citizens of Nagaland.

Five-point charter of demands
The CANSSSEA has put forward a five-point charter of demands to the state government.

The demands include the Constitute the State Pay Commission ensuring the Eighth Central Pay Commission benefits. Ensure periodical pay revision once in five years.

The association has also called for the repeal of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Act, scrapping of the New Pension Scheme (NPS)/Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), and direct the fund managers to return the amount deposited to the state governments. It demands that all subscribers be brought under the old defined Benefit Pension System of EPS-95.

Further demands involve the implementation of a comprehensive health insurance scheme with government support ensuring cashless treatment in all the hospitals to pensioners and employees including the contractual employees in the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme. It also urged to improve all the empanelled District Hospitals under CMHIS in the state of Nagaland with better facilities.

The CANSSSEA also urged the government to fully implement the eligibility criteria for the induction and selection to the IAS cadre from the state as per a recent vacancy circular NO. PAR-A/08/2025-AIS, Dated Kohima the 10th March 2025.