RDPR officials, PDOs and GP members launch indefinite stir

Mangaluru: Officials from the rural development and panchayat raj department (RDPR), employees' associations and the federation of gram panchayat members launched an indefinite protest at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat premises on Monday.
Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers Welfare Association (KSPDOWA) district unit members said that the indefinite protest is being held to demand the govt to fulfil various demands of grade 1 and 2 secretaries, tax collectors, clerk-cum-data entry operators, swachhata workers and other cadres.Hundreds of employees are deprived of promotion due to apathy, though the govt has issued directions to publish the seniority list. The process of promotion should be expedited. The draft ordinance that proposes the transfer of employees working for seven years in the same taluk to other places in the district should be withdrawn, the association stated.
Grade 2 secretaries have been working without promotion for the past 12–14 years. A one-time promotion should be given to grade 2 secretaries. Further, they demanded that the percentage of promotion from grade 2 secretaries to grade 1 secretaries should be increased.
They demanded that ESI and PF schemes should be implemented for the employees. The health insurance scheme of Rs 50,000 for gram panchayat employees is not sufficient and hence it should be increased to Rs 5 lakh, applicable to the whole family. At present, only Rs 10,000 is granted as compensation for the death of gram panchayat employees. The govt should issue an order increasing the amount to Rs 1 lakh. The govt should supply all necessary equipment for swachhata employees, the employees demanded.
Upgrade PDOs to gazetted group B grade
The post of PDOs in the state should be upgraded to Gazetted Group B grade. Further, any change in rules about the transfer of PDOs should be done only after consulting the association. The seniority list of PDOs should be published immediately and initiatives should be taken to ensure promotion. Stop setting targets for PDOs in the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme, they stated in the demands.