Demanding reintroduction of old pension scheme and filling up of over 4.50 lakh vacancies in various departments, government employees staged a road blockade near the Collectorate on Tuesday.
The police arrested 30 protestors, including two women, who were released later. The protestors said the 4.50 lakh posts lying vacant in various government departments had badly affected the quality of work executed by the official machinery and hence the government should accord highest priority to fill these vacancies.
The contributory pension scheme, introduced by the government, had badly affected the teachers and government employees who would not have any social security after their retirement. Hence, the old pension schheme must be reintroduced for all government employees and teachers.
Anganwadi and nutritious meal scheme workers, village assistants and temporary nurses should be given time scale of pay. The Adiseshaiah Committee report that favoured downsizing of workforce in the government departments should be trashed as it is denying employment opportunities to qualified unemployed youth.
Thoothukudi
In Thoothukudi, the government employees, who assembled in front of the Government Employees Union Office on Palayamkottai Road, staged a protest. Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Union’s district president T. Murugan, secretary D. Murugan and State vice-president N. Venkatesan addressed the protestors.
Police arrested 211 protestors who were released in the evening.
In Kanniyakumari, the police arrested 27 protestors, including six women, as they attempted to stage a road roko near the Collectorate.