The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Cuddalore News : Options `being thrust upon panchayat staff'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore

Options `being thrust upon panchayat staff'

By Our Special Correspondent

By Our Special

Correspondent

CUDDALORE, JULY 26. THE S tate Government's announcement to convert town panchayats into either third grade municipalities or panchayats has created uncertainty over the service conditions and wage structures of about 16,000 town panchayat employees, K. Balasubramanian, State president of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees' Union, said.

Even before this was sorted out, the Government had asked them to choose before July 28, whether to be inducted with third grade municipalities or panchayats, Mr. Balasubramanin said at a press meet here today.

He said there were three categories of employees: 4,000 on consolidated pay, 3,500 in the provincialised, and the remaining 8,500 in non-provincialised cadre. The panchayats had not codified the employment rules, and only clerical staff was being appointed on a consolidated pay of Rs. 500. The Government, moreover, had notified that if the employees failed to specify their option, it would then assign the duty.

Treat as `on-duty'

Mr Balasubramanian also called upon the Government to treat the strike period as `on-duty' and extend all benefits to its employees.

He said the Government withdrew benefits such as bonus, earned leave and leave surrender citing resource crunch. Now the State Finance Minister, C.Ponnaiyan, had stated on record that the financial situation had improved, hence he sought restoration of all benefits.

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Options `being thrust upon panchayat staff'