Hingoli: Class 3 and 4 employees of the Zilla Parishad (ZP) and five panchayat samitis under it staged demonstrations at the district collectorate on Monday to press demands, including salary discrepancies, reduction in promotion levels, implementation of the old pension scheme and renaming of the clerical category. The employees have launched an indefinite strike and organised a morcha to the collectorate.
Clerical category employees in the ZP have been pursuing their demands with the state government for the past few years. However, they alleged that no action has been taken. The employees’ association has repeatedly drawn the government’s attention to discrepancies in salaries and other issues. Delegations held discussions with the concerned authorities on several occasions and submitted memorandums to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other ministers, but no positive outcome emerged.
The employees also demanded implementation of the old pension scheme for ZP staff. Agitations were staged during the legislative sessions in Mumbai and Nagpur, but no decision was taken. “As our demands are not being considered, we have resorted to severe agitation,” the employees said.
The protesters gathered at the district collectorate at 11am, raised slogans against the government and pressed their demands. The morcha passed through various roads in the city before reaching the collectorate. Association officials Santosh Bangar, Raju Ghuge and Nitin Dahiphale addressed the employees. Dahiphale said the employees were compelled to hit the streets as a last resort to press their demands.
Bangar said the association had launched a planned agitation across the state from Feb 10, but the government had not taken cognisance, forcing the employees to intensify the protest.
A delegation submitted a memorandum to Fadnavis through the district administration. More than 200 employees participated in the agitation.
Meanwhile, ZP offices wore a deserted look, with only senior officers present on duty. Residents who had travelled from far-off places for official work faced inconvenience due to the unavailability of staff.
