HP: Zila Parishad employees on pen-down strike, department makes alternative arrangements for development works

Shimla, October 16

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With Zila Parishad employees in Himachal Pradesh going on a pen-down strike demanding merger of their cadre with the Panchayati Raj Department, alternative arrangements for the smooth functioning of gram panchayats across the state have been made, a spokesperson of the department said here on Monday.

The department is taking all necessary steps to deal with the situation arising due to the unauthorised absence of certain categories of employees, the spokesperson said.

Routine works related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other development activities and issuance of various certificates are being done at the panchayat level, according to a statement issued here.

More than 4,700 Zila Parishad employees in the state began a pen-down strike on September 30.

The charge of panchayat secretaries has been temporarily handed over to gram rozgar sevaks, sewing teachers and panchayat chowkidars in the present circumstances and they have also been given financial powers to run the work smoothly.

The spokesperson said the department has now sought details from the chief executive officers of Zila Parishad on the unauthorised absence of employees in view of the delay in developmental and disaster relief works by October 18, 2023.

A special package has been announced by the state government for the disaster-affected families under which the reconstruction of houses and cowsheds and other relief and rehabilitation works, conservation activities of agriculture and horticulture land is to be done but these works are being affected due to the absence of technical staff, he added.

The spokesperson said that absence of technical staff was causing delayed wage payments to MGNREGA workers as well as hampering development works being undertaken for disaster relief and restoration.