Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the State government is sympathetic towards the grievances of pourakarmikas in various urban local bodies and their issues would be addressed at the earliest.
“We are sympathetic towards the problems of pourakarmikas and the State government is committed to redress them humanitarianly”, Mr Bommai told reporters before leaving for Hyderabad to participate in the BJP National Executive meet.
Sanitation workers, including pourakarmikas, UGD workers, sweepers and drivers, launched an indefinite strike in the State on Friday demanding that the government regularise the services of pourakarmikas serving with urban local bodies.
Workers have urged the government to pay PF gratuity up to ₹10 lakh to those who have completed service, a monthly pension of ₹5,000 and other benefits, including a complete health check-up every three months. They also demanded 10% special reservation for their children in schools.
CM’s assurance
Mr Bommai said the state government has agreed in principle to regularise the services of pourakarmikas who are working under the direct payment system. The necessary legal and technical measures would be taken soon to address their grievances. A joint committee of officials and representatives of the pourakarmikas has been formed to look into their grievances, he said.
Also read: Explained | Pourakarmikas’ arduous road to dignity of labour
On Friday, Mr Bommai chaired a meeting to discuss the problems of pourakarmikas and decided to set up the committee, which would submit its report within three month to the government, recommending various measures for the welfare civic workers.
Special recruitment rules would be framed to simplify their recruitment. The pourakarmikas would be provided housing loan facility, their children would be covered under the Vidya Nidhi scholarship scheme and the women pourakarmikas would get maternity benefits, Mr Bommai said.
“We have agreed to extend social security, medical service and assistance for education of children of pourakarmikas. The necessary rules will be formulated during the next Assembly session,” the chief minister said.
Mr Bommai left for Hyderabad to participate in the two-day BJP National Executive meet, where top brass of the BJP are scheduled to participate. During the meeting, Mr Bommai said he would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J P Nadda.
