75% Haveri govt staff refuse to give one-day salary for lit meet

Haveri: The government, Haveri district administration and Kannada Sahitya Parishath have claimed that the 86th Akhila Bharath Kannada Sahitya Sammelana was a grand success. But the literary meet’s budget also increased to Rs 25 crore against its earlier estimate of Rs 20 crore. Now the government is facing another shock. Over 75% of government employees in Haveri district have expressed their unwillingness to give one day’s salary to the literary meet. Only 25% employees have given their one-day salary.
A sum of Rs 1.6 crore was supposed to be collected from the one-day salary of government employees in the district, but only Rs 39 lakh has been collected. Of the government staff who have contributed, many of them have permitted to deduct Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 instead of the entire day’s salary.
According to treasury sources, as many as 14,700 government employees draw a salary of Rs 1.6 crore per day. A majority of government school teachers have expressed their unwillingness to contribute because they are upset over the negligence of Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
When contacted, a government employee said Kannada Sahitya Parishath neglected the government employees. “Despite several requests, the district administration refused our demand for a kit to all government employees as a memento of the Sahitya Sammelana. So finally, a majority of government employees are unwilling to give our one-day salary for the literary event,” he said.
“Only some officers who have a huge salary have given Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 only,” he added. “The district administration increased the budget from Rs 20 to Rs 25 crore and the funds were used unscientifically for the three-day event. So, why should we give our one-day salary for such an event? Hence, we decided not to contribute,” said an employee in the revenue department.
Haveri deputy commissioner Raghunandhan Murthy denied these allegations. He clarified that the Karnataka State Government Employees Association of Haveri District unit has agreed to give one-day salary unconditionally. “Afterwards, they demanded kits for the employees. But they have the option to contribute or not. So, some of have expressed their willingness and most employees have refused,” he said.