Odisha Contractual Employees To Step Up Stir If Demands Not Met By Oct 11 Deadline

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government Contractual Employees Association (OGCEA) has threatened to intensify its agitation if its demand for scrapping the contractual appointment system is not met by October 11.

Leaders of the association said that they are waiting for the deadline of October 11 given by the state government to take a decision about their further course of action. Members of the association had staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar on September 11, demanding abolition of the contractual appointment system.

Stating that over 40,000 employees from different departments, including police and nursing had taken part in the rally, OGCEA President Bijay Malla told The Hindu that the government had promised to look into the issue.

“While seeking some time because of the festive season, the government had promised that our demand would be met by October 11,” he said, adding that if our demands are not fulfilled, the association will intensify the protests.

Demanding that their six-year contractual service period be added to their original service period, the agitating contractual employees have sought DA, HRA, pension and other benefits as given to the regular government staff. They want the government to regularise their jobs.

Asking the government to adopt ‘equal pay for equal work’, the association leaders said contractual employees were compelled to accept this heinous system of the state because of social and financial compulsion.

Voicing optimism that the government will soon start the regularisation process, they said contractual employees are an integral part of the government and they are recruited after writing examination conducted by bodies like the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC).