Mumbai: On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen washing feet of safai karmacharis at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Sunday. But on the other hand, the Maharashtra government seems to have washed its hands off the implementation of the government resolution (GR) for remuneration to contractual safai karmacharis.
The karmacharis are demanding revision of the plan, the immediate release of arrears and a pay hike. “We want the government to revise the remuneration plan for safai karmacharis across Maharashtra and the arrears, which are due, should be released immediately.
We also demand the slapping of atrocity charges on officials who are not releasing the arrears,” said Deepak Bhalerao, president of the Maharashtra Municipal Kamgar Union (MMKU). “Atrocity charges will pass the test of law, as most of the karmacharis belong to the Dalit caste,” added Bhalerao.
The GR had said safai karmacharis are entitled to a salary of Rs 15,000 per month. Currently, however, they are paid less than Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per month. The MMKU, on Monday, rejected and returned the existing plan of remuneration to the State government. “What is the use of GR when it is not implemented for four years? Karmacharis are not even paid half the salaries they are entitled to under the current GR” said Milind Ranade, general secretary of the MMKU.
Ranade criticised the government for non-implementation of their own policy. “This policy was drafted and approved by this government. Then why are they not implementing it? Across the state, they are owed Rs 1-2 lakh in arrears for the past four years,” said Ranade.