Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Mar 21: The presidents, office bearers, secretaries, members, employees of gram panchayats went on an indefinite strike in front of District Deputy Commissioners office at Rajathadri, Manipal, recently and urged the government to fulfil their demands.

Addressing the protesters, president of district PDO association Siddesh said, “All panchayat employees work under acute pressure. The government has been exerting pressure on us to implement housing schemes, issuing notice to appear for departmental enquiries, interviews for the promotion of employees and others issues. Employees under panchayat raj are facing a lot of hardships due to continuous pressure from the government. All staff and officials are demanding to reduce the workload of the workers.”

The demands of the protesters were - To provide human resources and required technology for all higher officials, Seva Kendras which come under gram panchayat, to adopt adequate measures for the promotion of gram panchayat secretaries and village accountants and timely announcement of probationary accounts assistants by the government.

Other demands included - Immediate action plan for the promotion of gram panchayat’s workers and  provision of funds and ESI facilities, Up-gradation of systems in the gram panchayats for increasing the efficiency of works, to put an immediate break for handing over departmental cases to Lokayukta, immediate approval of computer operators and making them permanent employees, releasing of wage allowance and other facilities within stipulated time.

They also demanded to put off departmental enquiries, especially on the implementation of the housing project.

Gram panchayat members also handed over a memorandum to concerned department and district commissioner during their protest.