Gram Panchayat workers embark on an indefinite protests

Mangalore Today News Network

 Mangaluru, April 4, 2017: With the banner of  Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department Officers and Employees’ Association, Gram Panchayat employees staged a protest as part of a state-wide indefinite stir in front of the Zilla Panchayat office here on Apr 3, Monday.

Clarifying that they have been burdened with unwanted work and responsibility, they urged the government to appoint sufficient number of staff and to provide promotion, PF and other facilities.

Addressing the protesters, the association’s district president and Laila gram panchayat development officer P H Prakash Shetty said the Gram Panchayat employees, PDOs, secretaries and account assistants have been working restlessly to reach the targets set by the government. They are assigned works related to both the Central and the state governments. But, they are deprived of facilities like job security and promotions. The shortage of staff at many GPs has burdened the existing employees, he claimed.

Data entry operator Sharika from Puttur said the GP employees are assigned works related to 9/11 forms, Bapuji Seva Kendra, job cards RTCs, uploading of GPS information on housing schemes, Jamabandi, preparing the list of development works done in the village, Gram Sabhas and others.

Sullia Taluk Gram Panchayat Employees’ Association president Theertharam said that no GP worker has availed PF so far because the village cannot be considered as a unit according to the norms. To avail facilities a minimum of 10 members should be present in a unit. Also, the employees are not getting health insurance benefits. Annually, Rs 700 crore should be earmarked for the purpose.

Pressure should not be exerted on employees to work on government holidays, he demanded.

Memorandum : Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr M R Ravi received a memorandum from the protesters containing 37 demands and said that the problem of the Gram Panchayat employees will be brought to the notice of the government. A request has already been made to the government to relax some rules for the district, based on demographic conditions. Also, action has been sought against the charted accountants who portray GP employees as fraudsters, he added.

Association’s district committee vice president U D Shekhar and Secretary Jerald Mascarenhas were present. Hundreds of Gram Panchayat employees took part in the protest.