Post News Network
Keonjhar, July 2: Even as the state government has raised the minimum wages to `200, many workers in government offices still work for as meager as Rs 72 per day.
The irony is despite dedicated services for long years, they have not been regularized.
Take the case of Sarat Kumar Nayak of Saharapada area. He works at the office of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) for `72.50 per day. He alleged he has not received even this amount for one year. Sarat finds it difficult to manage family with this wage. He took up the matter with the district collector, but to no avail.
This is not a stray case. There are others who put in long hours in government offices, but at low wages. Ten such cases have come to the fore. These people have been working for five to 28 years, but do not receive even minimum wages fixed by the government.
Take the case of Bhramarabara Mohant of Harichandanpur and Bhima Bartia of Patana. Mohant has been working in Harichandapur ICDS office for the last 20 years while Bartia is engaged in Patana ICDS office for the last 15 years. Both lamented that managing families at such low wages is too difficult.
Same is the case with Prahallad Majhi who works at Ghasipura ICDS, Basudev Majhi at Keonjhar DSW office, Baikuntha Mohant at Jhumpura ICDS office, Dukhabandhu Mohant at Keonjhar ICDS office. They alleged that they have not received their wages for the last 10 to 15 months.
Though they have apprised the district social welfare officer of their problems, they are yet to an assurance in this regard, they added.
Finally, they have intimated their problems to the district collector and are keeping their fingers crossed.