Govt staff march to Assembly on March 7

Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 14

Employees of the Haryana Government under the banner of ‘Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS)’ affiliated to the ‘Akhil Bharatiya Rajya Sarkari Karamchari Mahasangh’ will march towards the state Assembly on March 7 in support of their demands, including regularisation of temporary employees, payment of benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission to pensioners and other employees, security in government jobs and equal pay for equal work.

This was announced by state general secretary of the organisation, Subhash Lamba, while addressing a press conference here at the PWD rest house today. As many as 21 teams had been formed in the state which would organise gate meetings to make the march a success, he said.

The SKS had already extended its support to the Assembly march of the ASHA and mid-day meal workers on February 28, to farmers and agricultural labourers on March 8 and to the indefinite strike of extension lecturers, he said.

Naresh Kumar Shastri, senior vice-president of the SKS, said around seven lakh posts were lying vacant in various government departments and organisations, including posts of 50,000 teachers in different schools. Over three lakh pensioners and one lakh employees of boards and corporations had not been given pay commission benefits so far, he added.

“Instead of enrolling teachers to fill up the vacant posts, the government closed around 144 schools in the state,” he said and alleged the state government was vigorously pursuing the policy of privatisation and outsourcing.