BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Monday announced a landmark decision to regularise the services of contract-based pourakarmikas (PKs) and garbage truck drivers working in various municipalities across Karnataka. With this move, 1,280 pourakarmikas in Belagavi, Vijayapura, Hubballi-Dharwad, Tumakuru, and Mysuru who have been serving on contract for over five years will now become permanent employees.
Speaking at the 25th anniversary celebration and felicitation ceremony of Karnataka Rajya Nagarapalike, Nagarasabhe, Purasabhegala Pourakarmikara Mahasangha here at Palace Grounds on Monday, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring dignity and security for civic workers. He added that garbage truck drivers would also be made permanent and that loaders and cleaners would be recruited on a direct payment basis.
Noting that it is rare to see other sections or socially and economically well-placed persons take up pourakarmika jobs, the CM said it is the responsibility and duty of the government to solve their problems and fulfil their rightful demands. “All services are sacred. It is not right to treat pourakarmikas in a humiliating manner. They deserve respect and dignity. For this, their services will be made permanent.”
Siddaramaiah also announced that pourakarmikas would be issued cashless health cards and assured that concerns regarding their validity would be resolved. He said the contract system for civic workers had been abolished and replaced with direct salary payments from municipal corporations. He highlighted that the government had already provided 524 houses to pourakarmikas in Mysuru and significantly increased their salaries from Rs 7,000 to Rs 17,000.
DCM DK Shivakumar, who also spoke at the event, said that the BBMP budget had earmarked significant funds for the welfare of civic workers. He announced that Rs 500 crore has been set aside for salaries of civil servants and Rs 107 crore for pension. Rs 10 lakh has been allocated for families of deceased workers, Rs 6,000 to provide, Rs 5 crore for the distribution of shoes, gloves and other equipment, Rs 6 crore for uniforms, Rs 6 crore for reimbursement of children’s education fees, Rs 4 crore for health, Rs 30 crore separately for single households pourakarmikas, amounting to a total of Rs 730 crore.