Mangaluru
Officials from the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR), along with employees’ associations and the Federation of Gram Panchayat members, have begun an indefinite protest at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat premises.
Members of the Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers Welfare Association (KSPDOWA) stated that the protest aims to address various demands from grade 1 and 2 secretaries, tax collectors, clerk-cum-data entry operators, swachhata workers, and other employees. They highlighted that many workers have been denied promotions due to government inaction, despite directives to publish a seniority list.
The association called for an expedited promotion process, particularly for grade 2 secretaries who have gone without promotion for 12 to 14 years. They are requesting a one-time promotion for these secretaries and an increase in the promotion percentage to grade 1 positions.
Additionally, demands were made for the implementation of ESI and PF schemes for employees, as well as an increase in the health insurance coverage for gram panchayat employees from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. Currently, only Rs 10,000 is provided as compensation for the death of gram panchayat employees, which they want raised to Rs 1 lakh. The group also urged the immediate publication of the PDO seniority list and a cessation of target-setting for PDOs in the MGNREGA scheme.
