Temporary PR staff put TS on notice

Hyderabad: Following the government’s decision to hike salaries of sarpanches and 43 per cent fitment to permanent employees, the temporary employees working for panchayats are pushing their demands harder. After making several representations to the government, they gave an ultimatum of two weeks and warned of going on an indefinite if the government does not fulfilled their demand.

The temporary employees are getting not more than between Rs 500 to Rs 2,500 per month for minor gram panchayats, while between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for major gram panchayats, under the name of NMR (Nominal Muster Rolls), casual worker and fixed pay. Besides, they allege that the arrears for about 5 to 18 months are pending with the government.

During the Congress government, they had organised 27 days strike in 2010, followed by 33 days strike in 2011. Interestingly, the TRS which was in agitation mode then supported the employees by assuring them justice and also put pressure on the Congress government.As per the government figures, there are more than 40,000 temporary employees working in gram panchayats of nine districts. They include Karobar, bill collector, sanitary inspector, sanitary mestre, electrician and others.

Even though they are given identity cards, it does not legally bind the government. “Several GOs were issued during the last few years, but nothing has changed. We hoped the TRS government would do justice, but they are only interested in gaining politically by hiking salaries of public representatives in local bodies,” says K Kotilingam, state general secretary of Telangana Gram Panchayat Employees and Workers Union.

In a recently held meeting, more than 10 organisations decided to go on strike from April 8, but postponed it after assurance from higher officials of the department. Their demands include providing a minimum of Rs 15,000 salary to employees, apart from abolition of contract system in gram Panchayats. “This time we shall not be postponing the strike, if the government does not pay heed,” warns P Ganapathi Reddy, president of Union.

However, the department officials who had assured them justice appeared to be helpless. They expressed their inability in solving the matter pending for years. They point out that the government can only support immediate issues encountering a particular gram panchayat. The salaries of these temporary employees are directly related to the revenue generated from the village.

“Lest a gram panchayat improves its revenue generation, it cannot support the salaries of these employees,” says P Rama Rao, Deputy Commissioner Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment.According to the official, as per the recommendations of the State Finance Commission, grants are being released to the local bodies every five years. Similarly, the Central Finance Commission also provides grants under various schemes. The panchayats should have been self-sufficient, but due to various reasons including political, the panchayats are unable to achieve this, adds the official.

By Md Nizamuddin