Target oriented schemes - PDOs, GP workers protest.

Target oriented schemes - PDOs, GP workers protest.

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Dec 10, 2015: Addressing the protesters, Shivathaya, PDO of Ambalpady Gram Panchayat and leader of the association, said that the PDOs were facing a tough time in the district, especially with regard to the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Earlier, this scheme was a demand-based one.

Members of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department Officers and Employees Association and Panchayat Development Officers Welfare Association staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday against what they called “injustice meted out to them”.

Besides the panchayat development officers (PDOs), gram panchayat (GP) secretaries, computer data operators and other employees participated in the dharna.

Now, the MGNREGS  had been converted into target-based one. The fact was it was difficult to enrol workers for the scheme as the wage per day under it was a mere Rs. 204 per day.

Whereas the minimum wage in the district for labourers was over Rs. 450 per day, plus food. The higher officials were threatening the PDOs and other gram panchayat officials with disciplinary action if the latter failed to reach the target. This was unjust, he said.

The PDOs had to document four photographs along with beneficiaries for construction of toilets under the Swachch Bharat Mission.

The first photograph had to be taken while starting the work, the second while laying the building foundation, the third while constructing the walls and the fourth after the toilet was completed.

No Dearness Allowance or Travelling Allowance was given to them. “Moreover, it is a waste of time to go to each one of the beneficiaries house four times,” he said.

There is a shortage of 40 PDOs in the district. With the result, some PDOs were holding additional charge of other gram panchayats.

There was no gram panchayat in the entire district which had a PDO, a gram panchayat secretary and a Second Division Clerk. The gram panchayats were facing staff shortage.

Despite such staff shortage, the PDOs had to supervise the work and the use of funds under the 14th Finance Commission, statutory funds, Indira Awaas Yojana, Basava Vasati Yojane, housing tax and even issuing below poverty line (BPL) ration cards.

“In addition, we have to attend two official meetings in a week making it all an unbearable task,”  Shivathaya said.

Deepa, Suresh, Raghavendra Prabhu, and office-bearers of the PDO Welfare Association, were present.