Drivers of government vehicles across the State have threatened agitation if the State Government failed to concede their 10 demands, including increase in their salary and regularisation of services of contract employees.
They will resort to a silent protest in front of the Chief Minister’s residence here, if no steps are taken on their demands by November 14, informed Bijay Kumar Subuddhi, president of Odisha Sachibalaya Motor Karmachari Sangha and general secretary of Odisha Sarakari Motor Karmachari Sangha Prabhakar Behera to mediapersons here.
If no steps are taken even then, the two associations would gherao the Chief Minister, they said and added that further agitation would be decided at the steering committee meeting in case the government did not take any measures to fulfil the demands.
The two associations have already discussed the matter with the high-level committee presided over by the Chief Minister, fitment and anomaly committees and the Finance Minister. A memorandum was also submitted to the Government about two months back, but no steps have been taken in this regard, they said.
The demands include setting right the anomalies in their pay scale by fixing it in payband two - ` 9,300 to ` 34,800 with a grade pay of ` 4,200. Besides, they have demanded regularisation of services of all drivers who are working as NMR/DLR or on contract basis for the last 15 to 20 years in different departments and offices.
They demanded promotion of drivers as supervisor/foreman on the basis of their seniority and to other categories taking into account their educational qualification. They also demanded 25 per cent allowance for drivers working in Maoist-affected areas and ` 5,000 as dress allowance. Other demands include age of superannuation at 60 and 5 per cent medical allowance.