Working in Rural Development Department remained affected for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as MGNREGA Engineers Association continued with their pen-down strike in favour of their ‘long pending’ demands.
In Udhampur district, authorities have deputed at least 70 engineers from various departments for the “estimation of area development works (DDC, BDC, and PRI). Sources said that while 30 engineers from association would normally carry this work, the deputation of the engineers was bound affect the work of the parent departments when there is already scarcity of water and resources amid rising temperatures.
With no-headway so far, the Association has extended their pen-down strike by three more days and also issued an appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to “intervene” for fulfilling their “genuine demands.”
“We have decided to extend the pen down strike by three more days,” President of the Association Shahnawaz Hussain told GNS.
He said that government continues to give “cold-shoulder” to their “genuine” demands despite constitution of two committees and recommendations by them.
Two committees were formed to look into the demands and but government has failed to fulfill promises made from time to time, he said. “Government agreed our demands in principal and formed two committees. The committees made recommendations but were not acted upon by the government,” he said, adding, “to protest against the indifferent attitude towards our genuine demands by the government, we have decided to extend pen-down strike by three more days and if there is still no headway we will then intensify our protests and chalkout new plans.” He also urged Lieutenant Governor to intervene into the issue on “humanitarian basis”.
Among others, the Association is demanding hike in salary and policy for regularization as “we have given our prime of life to make the MGNREGA and other schemes a success.” He said that staff carries out all developmental works in Rural Development department including Capex, SBM, and MGNREGA. Hussain also reiterated appeal to retired engineers engaged against Rs 30000 per month to withdraw voluntarily and not “betray” youth. (GNS)