Gram panchayat staff in Mysuru demand higher wages, pension

The staff of gram panchayats in Mysuru staged a demonstration outside the zilla panchayat office here on Wednesday in support of their demands, including a minimum wage of ₹31,000 a month and a pension of ₹6,000 to the retired GP staff and also to the families of those who died during their service period.

The staff of gram panchayats in Mysuru staged a demonstration outside the zilla panchayat office here on Wednesday in support of their demands, including a minimum wage of ₹31,000 a month and a pension of ₹6,000 to the retired GP staff and also to the families of those who died during their service period.

The staff, including bill collectors, waterman, attender, pourakarmikas, and drivers of vehicles transporting solid waste, and their assistants staged the protest in response to the call for an agitation from the State body of Karnataka State Gram Panchayat Employees Association (CITU).

While demanding regularisation of staff like data entry operators, clerks, attenders, and cleaning staff, the protesters also sought transfer opportunities for the staff. They demanded increase in the wages based on the seniority of the staff and also sought medical expenses of staff who fell ill.

The protesters demanded that the vacant posts in gram panchayats have to be filled pnd priority has to be given to the existing staff who have been working since many years with hopes of regularisation.