Assam: PHED contractual staffs appeal for benefits, salary increment

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Contractual employees working under the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in Assam have issued a joint press statement urging the government to implement long-pending service benefits and fair entitlements. The appeal was made jointly by the All Assam Public Health Engineering Department District Coordinators’ Association, the Technical Officers’ Association and the Data Entry Operators engaged under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission–Gramin (SBM-G).

The associations stated that despite contributing significantly to the success of both missions, employees continued to face neglect and stagnation in pay. They said that while they performed departmental duties similar to regular employees, they had been working for years without increments or social security benefits. They added that other missions in the state, including Sarba Siksha Abhiyan and the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission, had already introduced structured pay scales and benefits for contractual staff, whereas PHED had not implemented similar provisions.

Earlier this month, employees across PHED divisions observed a protest on November 12 by wearing black badges to express dissatisfaction over the lack of progress on their demands. The associations said the protest was prompted by continued silence from the government and the department regarding service-related grievances.

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