The 662-category colleges under the banner of AONGLEA have been sitting in dharna at the Lower PMG since February 13 pressing for their 4-point charter of demands and despite passage of 187 days, the agitators are still hopeful that their demands would be met soon.
The AONGLEA’s demands include equal pay for employees getting equal grade pay, bridging the gap in the salary of the 662-category Lecturers and 488-category Lecturers, pension and service conditions, apart from abolition of anomalies in GIA Policies.
On Wednesday, the association observed the ‘Davi Divas’ with over 1,000 employees congregating to press their demands. They said that the 662 category Lecturers have been discriminated against their counterparts in 488-category colleges despite their seniority. “We are pretty seniors in age, experience and in terms of receiving grant. We were covered under Grant- In- Aid (GIA) Policy (2008 Government Order) while the 488- category employees got grant under GIA Policy 2009 (GO). Though our salaries were same with same grade pay after the 7th pay was implemented, recently, the Government has hiked the salary of the 488-category staff unilaterally by about Rs 10,000, which is a grave injustice to us,” said AONGLEA president Golak Nayak and secretary Dr Gagan Beura.
The association has apprised BJD organising secretary Pranab Prakash Das about the problem and the latter has committed them to co-operate with the Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting to be held on August 17. Similarly, 5T Secretary VK Pandian has committed to give justice to the employees of 662 -category colleges in Balangir and Cuttack district grievance meetings.