Dimapur, September 16 (MExN): The average salary of a Naga working in Nagaland either in the state services or in the private sector, still remains at least 5 years behind updated per capita standards. Rough plus-minus on the average “Naga salary” comes roughly to about Rs. 3500- Rs. 4000 a month for the Naga worker. This salary byline, by any modern living standards is far too inadequate considering the dynamics of cost and expenditure, and the realities of every-day shifting economic standards that define a person’s well-being and his efforts to see to its welfare.
Price rise – of all services and facilities and collateral expenditures – remains a depressing point for concern for a Naga employee – either government or a private sector worker. There is an astoundingly wide gap between a person’s average salary and his collateral requirements to maintain his wellbeing (health, education, family, children, school and college expense, travel collaterals, personal affects etc). For instance, the average salary of a Naga worker in Nagaland is Rs. 3500. But a gas cylinder costs Rs. 600 (not including transport charges or associated expenses). This is almost one-third of his entire salary, and that too for a single service! Considering that expenses go beyond a gas cylinder or a body spray – family and personal expenses, food, health-related expenses, education and such – Nagaland’s monthly salary bylines are out of bounds for calculation in terms of per capita income! Even if one were an unmarried professional, he still spends 40% of his salary (generally around the figure Rs. 5, 000 – Rs. 6, 000), for instance, on a single pair of shoes – normally costing around Rs. 1500 these days!
This unaddressed hard pinch between “Naga salary” and the realities outside the workplace continues its sorry run. And lower-level government employees have been feeling the pinch for some time now.
Salary and real life employees
Fixed-pay stenographers, LDAs and typists under the government of Nagaland yesterday appealed to the government to enhance their salaries considering that economy conditions and living standards have increased over the years. Several employees from the stated specializations have appealed for enhancement, on behalf of others in their specializations as well.
The casual employees addressed a letter to the Principal Secretary for Home. They appealed for scale-pay or enhance the fixed pay to above 10, 000 per month with affect from April 1, 2010. They said they were being paid Rs. 3500 per month for LDAs and Stenographers and Rs 3000 for typists till date.
The representation said revision of pay has come into force for state government employees from April 1, 2010. “As a consequence, prices of all the essential commodities and items including school fees, house rent etc have increased manifold and we are facing a lot of financial hardships for sustenance of our day to day livelihood with such a meager salary as most of us are family holders,” the petitioners stated.
The employees also referred to a statement of the Home minister during the recent assembly session that the government was examining how to best regularize or accommodate casual employees by paying in proper scales. The employees have appealed for consideration to their plight.
Likewise government drivers of the districts and directorates have demanded enhanced perks. A note from the Nagaland Directorate & District Government Drivers’ Union yesterday said its executives met on September 11 and discussed a number of facilities they sought enhancement for. The union has sought LDA scale of pay; promotion of drivers to DTO, ATO, inspector, supervisor and head driver, uniform and “other facilities and the entitles which the drivers are supposed to get.”
The union has sought fulfillment of these demands “within 10 days” or else, a strike would be undertaken “against the government.”
