State panchayat computer operators demand pending wages

CRID Panchayat Local Operators (CPLOs) appointed to digitise village panchayats and make public services more accessible, have not received their honorarium for the past over eight months. Each CPLO is entitled to a monthly honorarium of Rs 6,000.

Faced with prolonged non-payment, the CPLOs held a district-level meeting in Karnal on Sunday, in which they formed a seven-member district committee unanimously, with Devi Dayal as the district president, while other office-bearers, including Gurpal as district secretary, Ajay as joint secretary, Manpreet as treasurer, Suman as joint treasurer, Sonu Pal as spokesperson, Narender and Daler Singh as organisation secretaries.

Devi Dayal said the CPLOs were working sincerely in the Panchayat Department and the CRID Department since March 2024. “Each employee is entitled to Rs 6,000 as honorarium from the Panchayat Department and task-based commissions from CRID. However, both payments have been irregular, causing severe financial hardship,” he said.

He said the CPLOs had submitted memorandums to several MLAs and ministers demanding a hike in their honorarium, but no action had been taken so far. “We demand the government to disburse the pending honorarium to all employees before Diwali,” he demanded.