Over 11K sanitation workers in Bengaluru become permanent govt employees

BENGALURU, Karnataka: The Government of Karnataka has decided to provide permanent status to local body workers in the state, including those who belong to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). With this move, around 11,133 workers will become permanent government employees.

However, the State Pourakarmikas Association is not happy with the decision of the government as they were demanding permanent status for all the 33,000 sanitation workers in the state. 

Earlier, in July, the workers organised an indefinite ‘dharna’ in the state capital Bengaluru which ended after assurance from the Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai to address their demands. He instructed the municipal administration department to initiate the process of granting permanent status to the employees of civic bodies in the next three months. 

In line with the instructions of the Chief Minister, 1927 civic workers from city corporations, 5533 workers from city municipality, and 3676 town municipality workers have been granted the status of permanent workers in their respective local bodies. These workers will now get remuneration as per the Rs 17,000 – 28,980 salary scale.

The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) is also demanding to regularise the services of all the municipal workers in the state. In its statement, AICCTU said, “The cabinet decision is disappointing. It is contrary to the written assurance of the CM to the pourakarmikas (sanitation workers), who were on an indefinite strike. More than 27,000 direct payment pourakarmikas are working in urban local bodies of the state. All direct payment pourakarmikas should be made permanent.”