Panchayat employees demand minimum wages

Members of district Gram Panchayat Employees Federation staged a protest in front of the Zilla Panchayat office in Chikkamagaluru on Friday, demanding minimum wages and preparation of seniority list for bill collectors and clerks in gram panchayat offices.

The protesters demanded a minimum wage of Rs 7,650 to all sanctioned and non-sanctioned panchayat employees as per a government order. They also demanded seniority list to be prepared for bill collectors and clerks.

They also urged government to give directions for awarding compensation to the families of retired and deceased employees.

Meagre salary

In many Panchayats, the employees are being paid a meagre sum of Rs 1,000 to 2,000 per month as salaries and even this amount has not being paid for the last 10 to 17 months. The Panchayat officials should be directed to pay the amount, in accordance with the revised scale, they said.

The basic revenue of Panchayats has decreased by 90 per cent as taxes have not been revised for the last 20 years, owing to the negligence of panchayat development officers and elected representatives. Hence, the taxes should be revised so that 40 per cent of the subsequent revenue could be used for the payment of salaries to the employees, they said and urged the government to take action against the PDOs who do not communicate government orders and circulars to the gram panchayat presidents and members.

District Gram Panchayat Employees Federation president S Vijay Kumar and district convener Kelavalli Kalasappa were present among others.