Talcher: Even though they have been working for more than a decade, 16 temporary workers at the Public Health Department (PHD) office here in Angul district, get a monthly salary of only Rs 2,000. They alleged that they are being underpaid even after the Odisha government has made it mandatory that the daily wage of an unskilled labourer will be Rs 298.
“Even if the government rule is followed in our office then we would have got close to Rs 9,000 per month. It would have certainly solved our financial problems to a great extent,” said the workers.
These underpaid workers have been taking up their issue with higher ups on several occasions but to no avail. There are 34 permanent and 16 temporary persons working at the PHD office here.
The jobs of the temporary workers are in no way less difficult than their permanent counterparts. Yet at the end of the month they are paid approximately Rs 74 per day. On official holidays and off days they do not get any remuneration.
“The salaries we get at the end of the month are is very low. We can barely manage to meet our expenses for 10-12 days in a month. On several occasions, the higher officials have been met and apprised of our difficulties and we have requested for a hike but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” the workers said.
Some alleged that the money allotted for them are being siphoned away be a section of corrupt officials. They said that the Labour Department should step in and investigate into their allegation.
In this regard the statement made by the concerned SDO stationed in Angul is shocking. He said the government has not made arrangements for payment of the temporary staff. The department is paying the salaries to them by accumulating funds from other sources.
When contacted, Talcher PHD junior engineer Jalendra Debta said the top officials have been intimated to give a wage hike to the temporary workers.
District Labour Officer Itishree Gagarai when contacted said they would initiate any investigation and take steps only after they receive specific complaints in this regard.
PNN
