Published Oct 05, 2024 | 3:42 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 05, 2024 | 3:42 PM
Gram Panchayat Employees launched an indefinite strike against the state government at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. (South First)
As Gram Panchayat (GP) employees across Karnataka enter an indefinite strike, the fallout is being felt keenly in rural areas, where most of the public services are grinding to a halt. The workers, acutely aware of their public responsibility, say they will make provision for essential services like drinking water, street lighting and sanitation.
There are over 5,900 Gram Panchayats in Karnataka, employing nearly 30,000 people, including regular government staff and employees on contract.
Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs), Grade-I and Grade-II secretaries, clerks, and data entry operators, have stopped all office work in protest against unmet demands for better working conditions, pay raises, and clearer career paths.
With panchayat offices shuttered, vital work like tax collection, grant of building permits, and job card processing under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) are suspended.
State Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Priyank Kharge said the government had already addressed several of the employees’ demands. He admitted that some requests remain under review, while others fall beyond current legal frameworks.
He said the government has been proactive in discussions and remains open to negotiations, and urged protesting employees to consider the impact of their actions on rural communities reliant on them for essential services.
The indefinite hunger strike of Gram Panchayat staff at Freedom Park, has led to the shutting down of the panchayat office across the state.
Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers’ Association, Grade-I Secretaries Association, Grade-II Secretaries Association, Clerk-cum-Data Entry Operators Associations, Federation of Gram Panchayat Members all joined in the indefinite strike, demanding that the government meet 40 demands.
While most Gram Panchayats have completely closed, in few places, the GP’s Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) has retained one staff member at work to respond to emergency calls about issues like drinking water.
Clerks and data-cum-operators have joined the strike in large numbers and decided to boycott work, affecting government services at the panchayat office.
One senior staff member from Chamarajanagar, on condition of anonymity, told South First: “It is only me and secretaries from the GP who have turned up for the protest. I have ensured that water operators are available for emergencies in the panchayat.”
“The closure of GPs will definitely affect people as services have been paused until the protest ends. People come for tax payment, water supply issues, license for building construction, for job cards under MGNREGA, trade license and other works. All these will be affected until the office is fully open,” the PDO said, determined to continue the protest until demands are met.
A water operator from Vijayanagara district told South First, seeking to remain unnamed: “I do not get paid regularly. The health insurance is a mere ₹50,000; that is not enough to meet annual medical expenses.”
“The government has to increase our wages and ensure security post-retirement. In my absence, my brother will ensure water supply in GP limits. I will be on protest until our demands are met,” the water operator said.
Several clerks, data-entry-operators and secretaries that South First spoke with said they would remain in protest mode and boycott office work until the government fulfills their demands. Only the bare essential services, like water supply, would remain undisrupted.
The Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) in the state have put forward a set of key demands aimed at improving their working conditions and career progression.
Their requests include upgrading all PDO posts to Gazetted Group B Grade, revising transfer policies, finalising the seniority list for promotions, and discontinuing target-setting in MGNREGA implementation.
Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers’ Association State President Raju Varad told South First: “We have placed various demands before the government. One of our key demands is the upgradation of all Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) posts in the State to Gazetted Group B Grade.”
“We urge the government to abandon the rule that mandates the transfer of PDOs who have completed seven years of duty to another taluk. Transfers should not be made without demonstrating public interest within the district, and the association’s advice should be sought before making any changes to the transfer rules,” added Varad.
He continued: “The seniority list of PDOs should be finalised immediately, and steps should be taken to promote them. Additionally, the government should discontinue target setting in the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme.”
“We call for the strengthening of the Grievances Authority, modelled after the Police Department. An expert committee should be appointed, a uniform audit system should be implemented, and service matters should be covered under Sakala, with a uniform helpline system for all software,” Varad said.
“In the event of the upgradation of Gram Panchayats to urban local bodies, government employees should be merged in the public interest. Furthermore, employee-friendly amendments should be made to the cadre and recruitment rules, with advice from the association,” Varad explained.
He sought that permission be granted to PDOs to go on deputation to other departments in parallel posts. “Additionally, the creation of the post of Assistant Director in the Housing Department and the promotion of PDOs are crucial demands,” Varad said, adding that the protest would continue until the demands are met.
Grade-I and Grade-II Secretaries Associations in Karnataka have raised pressing concerns regarding long-pending promotions, seniority issues, and the implementation of the old pension scheme.
Leaders from both associations have urged the state government and relevant authorities to take immediate action to resolve these matters, which have affected thousands of employees.
In separate statements, the associations outlined their demands, focusing on improving promotion ratios, addressing discrepancies in seniority lists, and ensuring fair treatment of long-serving secretaries in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.
Highlighting their demands, Grade-I Secretaries Association State President Munniraju A told South First: “Urgently publish the seniority list of Grade-1 secretaries group and grant promotions to the PDO group. There is a directive from the government to the commissioner, yet promotions are not being issued. Over a thousand employees from various groups have been deprived of promotions, and we request prompt action to address this within a specified timeframe.”
“Additionally, we demand an increase in the existing promotion ratio from Secretary Grade-1 to PDO from 35% to 60%. Given that direct recruitment for the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department occurred in 2014 and 2018, the second-grade Accounts Assistants and equivalent services of Secretary Grade-1 will have limited promotion opportunities,” Munniraju added.
“We also demand the withdrawal of the draft notification regarding the transfer of employees who have been serving in the same taluk for seven years to another taluk within the district,” Munniraju said.
Grade-II Secretaries Association State President Jagadish M told South First: “One-time promotion for Grade-2 Secretaries under the direct recruitment quota is essential, as many have been working without promotion for the last 12 to 14 years, transitioning from Grade-2 Secretary to Grade-1 Secretary.”
“The state-level seniority list for the post of Secretary Grade-1 should be disregarded in favor of a district-level seniority list, as practiced previously. Furthermore, the promotion rate from Grade-2 Secretary to Grade-1 Secretary is currently set at 33%, and we propose it be increased to 80%.”
“According to Order 235 of the service issued by the Secretary Grade-II Bill Collector, the old pension scheme should be reinstated based on previous service. We seek one-time promotions to the post of Grade-1 Secretary at the district level. Additionally, a combined seniority list for Grade-2 Secretaries and Second Division Accounts Assistants should be prepared at the district level,” elaborated Jagadish.
Data Entry Operators, Bill Collectors, Water Operators, and Cleaners are on strike, demanding higher pay, more benefits, and better working conditions.
They seek the implementation of a structured pay scale and seniority-based salary for all Gram Panchayat employees. In addition, they emphasise that salaries should be paid directly to employees’ accounts by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, except for those falling under the jurisdiction of the Labour Department.
Clerk-cum-Data Entry Operators Associations State president Bheemareddy Patil told South First: “One of the key demands is the inclusion of employees in the ESI and Provident Fund (PF) schemes. The existing health insurance coverage of ₹50,000 for Gram Panchayat staff is inadequate and does not benefit any employees. Therefore, the government has to increase health insurance coverage to ₹5 lakh for the families of Gram Panchayat employees.”
“The demand for career progression is also crucial. We propose upgrading Clerk and Clerk-cum-Data Entry Operator roles to Secretary Grade-2 and Second Division Assistant positions through promotion instead of direct recruitment. The government needs to amend the hiring process by replacing the term “direct appointment” with “promotion” and issuing a formal order in this regard,” pointed out Patil.
He continued: “In terms of retirement benefits, the employees of Gram Panchayats are provided a retirement allowance equivalent to 60 months’ salary. There is need for a mandatory software link to be implemented for the collection of property tax in Gram Panchayats.”
“Currently, when a Gram Panchayat employee dies, an ex-gratia amount of ₹10,000 is paid to the family. The government must increase this to at least ₹1 lakh,” Patil said.
“Further, water operators are asking for one day off per week to balance their workload. Additionally, cleaning staff should be provided with the necessary tools and materials by the government to carry out their duties effectively,” Patil highlighted the demands of Data Entry Operators, Bill Collectors, Water Operators, and Cleaners.
State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the government has been proactive in addressing many of the demands raised by the protesting employees, and many demands have already been met.
He acknowledged that some proposals are still under review. He said there were demands that are beyond the scope of current laws. He questioned the need for the strike, underlining the openness of the state government to dialogue and negotiation.
Minister Priyank Kharge told South First: “Overall, they have presented 40 demands. These demands have been ongoing for nearly a decade. We have already fulfilled seven to eight of their requests.”
“Some of their demands are impossible to implement as they do not fall under the jurisdiction of current laws. We have conveyed our stance to them in several meetings,” the minister said, explaining that there are about six proposals pending with the state finance department. “We have communicated this to the Gram Panchayat employees,” he said.
Kharge said that after a meeting last week on the seniority list of PDOs and other staff, the issue was settled with an out-of-court agreement, which the employees had accepted.
Minister Kharge wondered that the staff was on strike even though the government has extended invitations for dialogue. “I am puzzled by the timing of the protest. We invited them twice for talks. Even Additional Chief Secretary in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department (Uma Mahadevan) called them for a meeting twice. They did not attend.”
He pointed out that it is inappropriate for the government to negotiate at Freedom Park each time.
The minister said the strike would be justified if the government had refused to meet the protesters. However, ACS Uma Mahadevan had met the protesting employees twice, but they did not respond.
“Let any one member from any of the associations claim that the minister was not approachable. We have been requesting them for the past week not to go on strike,” he said.
“We are not the competent authority to decide on minimum wage payments; that falls under the Labour Department. While I do not claim their demands are unreasonable, their strike is. The government will make decisions after further discussions,” Kharge said.
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas)
