Port Blair, Nov. 2: Today the Committee of Andaman Nicobar Rajya Karmachari Mahasangh and its affiliated association gave a warm welcome to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development, the Chairman Shri. Bhartruhari Mehtab at the airport alongwith Shri. Jaydeep Kumar Dey, President, ANRKM, Shri. M. Vinod, Patron, IP&T KS, Shri. S. Biju Pillai, General Secretary, ANRKM with members & committee of affiliated associations.
The Chairman and other committee members were honoured with a Shank, Coconut and idol of Ganesha on arrival to this patriot land of freedom struggle.
The Chairman, Shri. Bhartruhari Mehtab consented time to meet the delegation on the issues of working class of these islands. The President, ANRKM Shri. Jaydeep Kumar Dey welcomed the Chairman and briefed the activities of ANRKM. The General Secretary, ANRKM briefed the issues of working class in which matter of regularisation of DRMs who were rendered service above 10 years and the cut off mark may be drawn from the line of 5 years. Similarly, the service through Contractor or under Contract service may be brought under consideration as service to the Principal Employer of the respective department.
The Part Time Employees of Education department are working for more than 8 hours and hence it was requested to enhance their wages at par with DRMs i.e. 18000/- plus DA. The employees working under Directorate of Shipping Services are on contract by which their names were omitted for the consideration of Regularisation of DRMs who served more than 10 years. A request was made to pave a path for the contract employees also. It was also emphasised that the DRMs and contract employees of Directorate of Health Services and ANIIMS were working for the society during the pandemic period in first wave and second wave. Their services without any conditions only whether in pandemic 100 days worked may be adopted for regularisation as carried out by different states as per the OM of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Similarly, the front line workers of pandemic, Sanitary workers of PBMC who served in all odds, are in need of Regularisation, establishment of State Commission of Safai Karmachari for availing the benefits under the commission for educating kids, higher education, vendor support etc. The basic amenities for Safaimitra were also discussed in length.
The employees of Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works are through Labour supply and few of them in outstations were retrenched today. This was highlighted before the Chairman and it was proposed that under the provisions of Contract Labour (Regulation & Prohibition) Act, 1970, all the employees may be absorbed in the establishment.
Lastly, a request was made for coverage of all DRMs / Contract working class of NHM, NAM, AIDS Control Society, ANIIMS, PBMC, Part time employees of Education dept., Anganwadi Worker / Helper, ASHA workers, Samagra Shiksha, Home guards, Community Defence Volunteers, Private Schools, DRL / Civil employees of Andaman Nicobar Command etc. under ESIC.
All the grievances presented were heard patiently and responded positively by the Chairman and assured for a brighter future of the working class. Shri. M. Vinod expressed gratitude to Shri. Bhartruhari Mehtab for sparing time to listen the grievances and expecting a positive step towards the working class.