Alankar Theatre crossroads on Monday was painted in red with thousands of CITU activists gathering at the Dharna Chowk in protest against the State government’s policies against the workforce.
The activists, who arrived from all over west Krishna district, criticised the move of the government in diverting the funds of the Construction Workers Welfare Board by introducing the Chandranna Bima Scheme. “The government is keen on taking control over the welfare board which is having thousands of crores,” they alleged.
“Unproductive” schemes
They criticised the government for spending crores of rupees on “unproductive” schemes and not showing interest in spending on the welfare of the workers. “Workers in all sectors are living amid insecurity. There is no guarantee of proper wages,” said senior trade union leader Donepudi Kasinath.
He said the formation of new capital city has led to increase in the load of work for the construction and other segments, but the wages were not commensurate of the labour.
Senior CITU leader Ch. Babu Rao said minimum wages were not revised for the past 12 years, thus enabling industrialists and owners to pay less to the workers. “In 58 scheduled industries, the minimum wages were not revised”, he added.
Mr. Rao said over 1,50,000 contract and outsourcing employees were yet to be regularised and added that Anganwadi, midday meal employees, Asha workers were paid paltry salaries. “The Anna Amrutha Hastham scheme has come as a curse to Anganwadi women. Even the rice supplied to them under this scheme is of poor quality”.
He said while the Telangana government has enhanced the pay scale of Anganwadi and Asha workers, it was unfortunate the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was hesitant to address the issues. “During Krishna pushkaramas and in the week-long Nava Nirmana Deeksha programme, the State government spent crores of rupees”.
The speakers demanded pension for workers above 60 years as a measure of social security and welfare boards for Hamali and auto workers.
