As many as 187 members, including 44 women, of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Officers’ Association, courted arrest here on Thursday while staging a road roko in front of the old bus stand, highlighting their demands.
The agitation was led by P. Raghavan, president of the district unit.
They raised slogans demanding filling up of vacancies in the Department of Rural Development.
L. Ramamoorthy, district president, Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Association, said many employees in the position of panchayat secretary had been working for years for a meagre salary and it was essential to offer them salary on a par with junior assistants .
Besides, computer assistants employed in panchayat union offices should be provided with time-scale pay. Salaries for office assistants should be increased, he said and sought appointment of special Block Development Officers to implement the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme .
L. Parthasarathy, district secretary, also took part.
Nagercoil
As many as 118 members, including 49 women of the Tamil Nadu Rural Development Officers’ Association (TNRDOA) were arrested for blocking the road urging the implementation of their 14-point charter of demands near the Collectorate.
Leading the agitation, U. Sumathi, vice-president, alleged that the government failed to issue necessary orders on issues related to the department following talks held on January 27, 2014.
She said that though various new schemes were implemented through Revenue department, the staff strength remained the same. It should be increased in proportion to the welfare schemes announced by the government.
Demands
The demands of the association included filling up of existing vacancies, extension of pay-scale equal to Junior Assistants to Panchayat Secretaries, appointing legal heirs of those who died in harness and disbursal of salary through treasuries.
The association also demanded the withdrawal of the GO envisaging the filling up of 25 per cent of vacancies every year through TNPSC.
The arrested members of TNRDOA were released in the evening.
C.R. Rajakumar, district secretary, TNGEA, inaugurated the agitation. Y. Varghese, district president, TNRDOA, spoke. S. Leedens Stone, district president, All Municipal Employees’ Union, and C.S. Christopher of TNGEA offered felicitations.
