On Labour Day, 4k pourakarmikas get permanent jobs; Rs 39k per month salary

Bengaluru: In a symbolic gesture marking Labour Day, chief minister Siddaramaiah Thursday handed over permanent appointment letters to 4,000 pourakarmikas (civic workers) in Bengaluru, fulfilling a key election promise. The move is part of a larger plan to regularise services of 12,632 pourakarmikas across the state.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials say the remaining 8,632 workers will receive their appointment letters after document verification is completed.

Addressing a gathering at the Pourakarmikas Day celebration, Siddaramaiah announced that over 9,000 drivers and helpers operating auto tippers and garbage trucks will also be regularised soon.
"During my previous tenure as chief minister, I noticed that pourakarmikas were being exploited by contractors and were not receiving fair wages. To help these exploited workers, I ensured that they received a wage as per the Minimum Wages Act. The salary, which was initially Rs 7,000, increased to 17,000 rupees and was directly credited to their bank accounts. This freed workers from the clutches of middlemen. Now, after their service is permanent, they will receive Rs 39,000 as salary," Siddaramaiah said.
He recalled his earlier support for pourakarmikas' demands while in the opposition. "The previous govt did not fulfil this demand. However, we made them a promise in the 2023 assembly election manifesto and we have fulfilled it," he said.
Looking ahead, the CM urged pourakarmikas to invest in their families' future. "Pourakarmikas must educate their children. The govt aims for pourakarmikas and their families to join the mainstream, thereby building an equitable society. Economic, social, and educational equality should be accessible to all."
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who was also present at the event, lauded the role of civic workers in keeping Bengaluru clean. "Our govt considers pourakarmikas as children of God and ambassadors of cleanliness. They are doctors who preserve the health of people, and because of their service in keeping Bengaluru beautiful, the city has gained international recognition," he said.