news details |
|
|
| We are facing exploitation, allege MGNREGA employees | | Go on strike, demand framing of concrete job policy | |  Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 20: The employees engaged J&K government under centrally sponsored scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have alleged that the government is “exploiting” them. Talking to Early Times the employees said, “Nearly 4500 MGNREGA employees of the Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department who have been working for past several years have been deprived of their rights.” They said, “Erstwhile regimes failed to frame any job policy for us. This has compelled us to go on a strike. We have been on strike for the past 5-days and are asking the government to fulfill its promises vis-à-vis framing a job policy for us.”
They said, “We are also demanding a concrete job policy for other employees who are working under centrally sponsored schemes like NRHM.”
The GRS, Technical Assistants, Computer Operators, Junior Engineers, Program Officers and other support staff are on an indefinite strike since last 16-8-2020 as a result of which the functioning of RDD&PR department has come to standstill due to which people visiting the Block Development Offices and other places are facing immense hardships across Jammu and Kashmir.
While talking to “Early Times”, Firdous Ahmed, GRS working under MGNREGA said the government has “failed to provide them their legitimate rights and J&K is among few places in the country where there is no job policy for the employees working under various centrally sponsored schemes including MGNREGA.” He said that neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh along with state of Odisha, Tripura, Haryana and other North-Eastern states have already framed full fledged job policy for MGNREGA employees and sanctioned various grades in favour of these employees who had completed five years of services. “Is J&K not the part of India are we not living in the coun “If Union Government can provide funds for rehabilitation of stone pelters and others involved in heinous crime then why can’t the Centre provide the funds to J&K for regularisation of MGNREGA employees and other employees working under various centrally sponsored schemes.”
Another employee Ajaz Sheikh said that if Union Government can provide funds to J&K for rehabilitation of stone pelters and others involved in heinous crime then why can’t the Centre provide the funds to J&K for regularisation of MGNREGA employees and other employees working under various centrally sponsored schemes. “The government should clear its stand so that many educated youths working under MGNREGA could look for alternative jobs.” He said that many among them are highly qualified and are at the verge of crossing age bar. “We have worked at the forefront during COVID 19 pandemic. We implement many centrally sponsored schemes on ground. We are giving our best despite that we are suffering,” said GRS Mohammad Yousaf from Inderwal. Yousaf said that let anyone check various government orders assigning various duties during COVID 19. “You will find majority of names from MGNREGA staff,” he added.
“The MGNREGA staff working in far off places are not paid any allowances like TA, DA, HRA etc. as per guidelines while PO has to work under guidance and control of District Program Coordinators, here it is said that they have to work as an imitating officers to the BDOs and restricted to communicate with higher ups directly” said Ajaz Sheikh.
He said that the employees working under MGNREGA have been discharging all the duties like performing of election duty, Booth level officer, SBM, Aadhaar updation, baseline survey etc. as is being performed by the regular employees of the J&K Government.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
