Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government employees went on mass casual leave on Thursday as part of their phased protest demanding release of increased DA (dearness allowance) and arrears.
Apart from Mantralay, all government offices wore a deserted look, after 700,000 employees stayed away from work.
Satpura-Vindhyachal Bhawan in the state capital was also empty. Besides the employees of other departments, Tehsildars and Patwaris were on leave.
They have been demanding hike in grade-pay and appointment to vacant posts.
The employees of the transport department, too, struck work demanding hike in salary and uniforms as given to the policemen.
As the Panchayat employees have already been on strike all revenue services stopped.
Adhikari Karmchari Sanyukta Morcha, a federation of various organisations of state employees and officials, announced on Friday that they would take mass casual leave on Wednesday.
"The state government had stopped the increment of our DA due from July 2019 citing corona pandemic. Even the promotions of government employees and officials were withheld from July 2020," said Jitendra Singh.
This decision of the government has enraged pandemic-struck employees who boycotted work.