After school teachers, lecturers and home guards, Gaon Sathis have threatened to resort to mass Satyagrah in front of the Assembly if their demand for job regularisation is not met within 10 days.
Serving the ultimatum to the Government, the Gaon Sathi Mahasangha demanded permanent appointment of the workers in their respective panchayats with a monthly incentive of `4,500.
The Mahasangha alleged that the workers, who discharged key functions as coordinators for implementation of different schemes and programmes at the grassroots level, were neglected. The workers are qualified and had been recruited through a thorough process of advertisement and tests.
Though the Government had advertised to pay Rs 2,500 per month, the Sathis were remunerated a measly Rs 4 per day. This led to stiff opposition and the Government increased the allowance to Rs 103 and subsequently to Rs 143 per day. Even though six years have passed, neither the allowance has been increased nor any step taken to fix regular salary for them, president of the Mahasangh BK Dash alleged.
The workers not only coordinate construction works in the panchayats but also help people get job cards and avail banking services. If the Government fails to heed their legitimate demands, thousands of Gaon Sathis would converge in the Capital to launch an agitation, secretary M Mallick said.