Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): Officials of Panchayat Rural Development Department Joint Front officers staged an indefinite strike for 7 days in front of Urban Janpad Panchayat Bhawan in Dhar district. Protestors performed tonsure in protest, asking the government to resolve their demands
As per the information, the protestors half-naked, performed tonsure claiming that the government failed to fulfil the demands of the United Front Union.
Janpad Panchayat CEO Reena Chauhan supported protest. The Panchayat Secretary, Village Employment Assistant, Diploma Engineers, Aajeevika Mission, Deputy Engineer, Swachh Bharat Mission, Assistant Development Extension Officer, Computer Operator of Janpad Panchayat, Prime Minister Awas Gramin etc. also joined the protest. Gram Panchayat Secretary Rajaram Solanki, Bherusingh Bhabhar, Assistant Block Manager Amarsingh Dodwe and Secretary Gabbu Goyal protested by getting shaved.
The strike has been effecting the livelihood of the villagers. Non-availability of Geotech for the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has effected the funds transfer to the beneficiaries.
The demands of the United Front Union, as stated by the protestors are:
- Panchayat secretaries of the state should be merged with the Panchayat Development Rural Department.
- Sixth pay scale should be calculated from the date of appointment
- Employment assistants should be regularized on the post of assistant secretary to be given the benefit of seventh pay scale
- MNREGA is a demand based scheme but at present it has been made target based which is wrong.
- The order should be modified to the district district employees according to the government employees, all the contract employees should be regularized.
