Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employees Association joins nationwide strike, submits charter of demands

KOHIMA — In solidarity with the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF), the Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employees Association (CANSSEA) on Wednesday joined the nationwide strike and submitted a charter of demands to the state government.

A press conference in this regard was held at CANSSEA Complex, Kohima, where Yhunsenlo Kent (General Secretary, CANSSEA), Dr. Ilang (Advisor), Khriesezolie Kire (CANSSEA), Avizo Nienu (President, NNPSGSEF), and B Imtiwabang Jamir (Core Committee member) addressed members of the press.

Kent said that AISGEF’s eleven-point charter was reviewed, and CANSSEA decided to highlight five key demands most relevant to Nagaland state employees.

Those were repeal of the PFRDA Act, scrap NPS/UPS, return deposited funds to states, and bring all under EPS 95 and the Defined Benefit Pension System; constitute state pay commissions, implement the 8th Central Pay Commission and ensure pay revision every five years; implement a government-supported, comprehensive cashless health insurance scheme for all employees, including contract staff and pensioners; upgrade all CMHIS-empanelled district hospitals in Nagaland; and enforce eligibility norms per the March 10, 2025 Vacancy Circular, ensuring only NPSC-recruited officers qualify for induction/selection to IAS cadre.

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Kent said that the charter would be formally submitted to the chief secretary of Nagaland.

Avizo Nienu highlighted disparities between employees under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and those under the New Pension Scheme (NPS). He noted that employees appointed after January 1, 2010, fall under NPS, which lacks guaranteed pension benefits.

“Even after 35 years of service and contributing 10% of monthly salary, NPS employees have no assurance of receiving a pension,” Nienu said, adding that this uncertainty prompted the call for reverting to OPS.

He appealed to the government to consider the welfare of employees and repeal the PFRDA Act. “Despite multiple representations, there has been no response, but we remain hopeful. However, if ignored, employees will decide the next course of action,” he cautioned.

Dr. Ilang added that eight Indian states have already returned to OPS. He said that Nagaland’s 35,000 and growing NPS subscribers face an uncertain future unless the system is rolled back.

He acknowledged the CMHIS as a good initiative but expressed concern that many empanelled hospitals have refused to accept CMHIS cards for the past six months. He urged the government to improve healthcare access and infrastructure across the state.

Meanwhile, B Imtiwabang Jamir criticised the state’s decision to withdraw the March 10, 2025, circular regarding IAS induction, which originally specified that only NPSC-recruited officers would be eligible.

He said that this opens the door for irregularly appointed individuals to enter the IAS cadre. It paves the way for any ‘Tom, Dick, and Harry’ to aspire for IAS, regardless of how they were appointed, he remarked, demanding that the original criteria be reinstated.