Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad core meet to discuss ways for pushing ahead its demands

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The SAKP (Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad) has convened a steering committee meeting on April 1 to discuss ways for pushing forward its pending issues related to its 20-point charter of demands.

Announcing this, SAKP secretary general Mrinal Das told The Sentinel on Saturday. "Our steering committee meeting will chalk out the strategies to move the newly formed government. We have many issues which are pending since long. The April 1 meeting will also decide on our future agitational programmes in this regard."

Das added, "The SAKP had a series of discussions with the BJP-led government on our 20-point charter of demands during the last five years. Our last meeting with the Chief Minister was held on November 21, 2020.

"Except for the regular release of our salaries, nothing was done with respect to our 20-point charter of demands. In fact, several political parties wanted to make our issues their poll planks. But, we denied permission to them to do so."

Dwelling on the demands of the SAKP, Das pointed out , "We demand implementation of the new pension scheme instead of the old one; fixed 'travelling Allowance' for the field-level employees; payment of arrears of the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commission recommendations; 'Patient Care Allowance' for employees of Grades III & IV; free health scheme for all employees; job-security provision for all contractual employees; and Khadi dresses for government employees ampong others.

On the teachers, Das added, "The majority of the 5 lakh employees of the State government are school teachers. However besides teaching, they have to perform various other duties of the government. But, they do not enjoy many of the perquisites that the other State government employees enjoy. For example, while the other State government employees earn 30-day 'Earn Leave', the State government teachers do not get this facility. We demand that they too should be provided 'Earn Leave'.

"Besides, the TET-passed working teachers must be brought under the Primary Education Directorate. They are now under the SSA (Sarva Siksha Abhiyan). We have also demanded creation of the posts of 'Head Masters' in all government primary schools."

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