Pondicherry: Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Tuesday that the Government was always sympathetic to the ministerial staff.

Stating that the ministerial staff who were on strike for some days now returned to duty on Tuesday and the departments reported cent per cent attendance in all the four regions of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, the Chief Minister said that already seven out of the nine demands made by the associations of the ministerial staff were settled. Now the administration had initiated steps to concede the remaining two demands also.

These demands related to restructuring the post of the Lower Division, Upper Division Clerks and Assistants and revision of pay scales of these sections of ministerial staff.

Procession

The ministerial staff, who constituted a United Association of Ministerial Staff of Union Territory of Pondicherry, took out a procession from Bharathi Park here before resuming duty on Tuesday. They abstained from duty since December 12.

P. Lakshmanasamy, convener of the new outfit of employees, said the Chief Minister had assured a delegation of the association that the pending demands would be settled soon. He said the staff would hold demonstrations every day after office hours near the Chief Secretariat in support of their demands.

A spokesman of the Association of government employees action committee in Karaikal told The Hindu over phone on Tuesday that the staff resumed duty reposing faith in the promise given by the Chief Minster.

A section of the employees denied the comment of Chief Secretary C.S. Khairwal that they were being misguided and hence were continuing the strike. All staff members resumed work on Tuesday afternoon.

A high-ranking official is being deputed to Delhi to hold a dialogue with the Home and Finance Ministries and to get the green signal to concede the other two demands of the staff.

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