Even though the State Government has provided pension and other benefits of the retired employees of Jatni Municipality, due to the step-motherly attitude of the municipal authorities the employees have been deprived of the same.
While the employees of other civic bodies of the State have received their retirement benefits, the retired employees of Jatni Municipality have been deprived of it allegedly due to the municipality’s Executive Officer. Though the retired employees association has repeatedly demanded their dues to be immediately released, the civic body’s authorities have turned a deaf ear to it.
The authorities have even ignored the directives of the Chief Ministers Grievance Cell, Chief Secretary, General Administration and Pension Department Secretary and the district Collector. This has triggered deep resentment among the retired employees. Due to the reticent attitude of the municipal authorities reticent attitude in providing retirement benefits one employee Ramesh Mishra has died and 20 others are struggling for life. The association members would hold a dharna before the Jatni Municipality on April 16 in protest informed the retired employees’ association president Subrat Kumar Nanda in a Press conference in Jatni on Sunday.
Nanda further alleged that corruption is rampant in the municipality and without percentage no work is being done. Even for sanctioning the retirement benefit of employees’ percentage is being demanded. If anybody declines to pay bribes he is harassed. The association would soon file a formal complaint with the Vigilance Director and Bhubaneswar Vigilance SP.Earlier, the Vigilance had probed the allegations against the Executive Officer and action was taken, he said.
Among others association secretary Saroj Kumar Ray and vice- president Subash Chandra Subudhi was present.