All Assam Civic Bodies Workers' Federation staff to launch stir from Nov 17

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Civic Bodies Workers' Federation held its extended executive meeting here on Sunday and decided to take up a series of agitational programmes in support of its various demands.

According to the federation's general secretary Gias Ali, the urban local body employees will the MLAs of their respective areas on November 17 and submit memorandums regarding their problems. On November 19, the urban local body employees will stage a one-hour dharna in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioners of all districts and later submit a memorandum to the DCs for forwarding to the Chief Minister, Finance Minister and departmental Minister. On November 22, members of the federation will stage a dharna at Dighalipukhuri here, Ali said, adding that they will also resort to a one-day cease-work programme on November 25.

It may be mentioned that the majority of 6,800 employees of 103 urban local bodies (ULBs) are still awaiting payment of their salaries for periods ranging from six months to 37 months.

Earlier, while demanding expeditious release of the pending salaries, Ali had said in a statement that they have six demands and on September 1, the Federation held a meeting with the Commissioner & Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department to place their demands.

In a statement, Ali said that there were 103 ULBs across the State, including 20 in 6th Schedule areas. There are 6,800 employees working in these 103 ULBs.

On May 31, 2021, the Legislative Department of the State Government published a Gazette Notification on provincialization of 1,653 municipal employees who were appointed on or before September 4, 2013 out of the total strength.

Ali said that the government had assured that the remaining municipal employees would be provincialized soon in a phased manner.

"However, this has not happened as yet. Moreover, although 1,653 municipal employees were provincialized as per the Gazette Notification, the remaining process work for their provincialization has not been completed," said Ali.

The federation has demanded staffing pattern of ULBs. The 4th Assam State Finance Commission recommended a uniform staffing pattern for ULBs on the basis of population as per the 2001 census. The State Cabinet meeting held on September 4, 2013 had approved the staffing pattern and staff strength of ULBs with their corresponding pay scales as per ROP Rules, 2010. Only Notification by the Urban Development Department, Government of Assam, is required for implementation of the Cabinet decision. The Guwahati Development Department has already issued the notification of proposed staffing pattern in 2017 based on the Cabinet decision.

Ali said that the State government has proposed to create three new Assam Municipal Service Cadres for the purpose of appointment in the municipal boards. These are Assam Urban Administrative Service, Assam Urban Financial Service and Assam Urban Engineering Service. "We demand that the government makes provision to appoint the existing municipal employees in appropriate posts based on qualification, verification and experience without appearing in any cadre," he said. The other demand of the federation is providing pension benefits, including gratuity, to municipal employees.

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