Gram panchayat employees stage protest in Hubballi

Seeking fixation of minimum wages on a scientific basis and fulfilment of other demands, gram panchayat members staged a demonstration in Hubballi on Monday.

Members of the Karnataka State Gram Panchayat Employees Association affiliated to CITU staged the demonstration in front of the Karmika Bhavan and then submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Labour Minister, to the Assistant Labour Commissioner.

The protestors said that they welcomed the State government’s draft minimum wages under which uniform minimum wages has been fixed for various departments. However, they said, their demand is to fix minimum wages on a scientific basis.

They said that the government should fix minimum wages of ₹36,000. They also said that it is wrong to presume that industries will exit from the State if there is an increase in minimum wages. The State government should, without yielding to any pressure, issue the final notification on minimum wages, they demanded.

A memorandum containing their various other demands was submitted to the authorities.

CITU general secretary Mahesh Pattar, district president B.I. Iliger and other office- bearers, including Chandragouda Venkanagoudar, Mahesh Hulagod, Ishwar Chandunavar, Pushpa, Sudha, and others led the protest.