Port Blair, June 9: Shri Vishal Jolly, Former State President BJP has requested to extend financial benefit of 1/30th pay plus DA to the DRMs working under A & N Administration through a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration today.
In his letter he invited the attention on the above matter and stated that the A&N Administration has taken a policy decision to enhance the wages of the DRMs engaged in various departments, organisations and autonomous bodies w.e.f. 01st September 2017 vide A & N Administration O.M. No. 289, dated 22.09.2017 and the Govt. of India O.M. No. 7-10/2016/PCC dated 31.03.2017. In pursuance of the above O.M dated 01.09.2017, the Andaman Public Works Department (APWD) including some other departments under this administration have extended the 1/30th wages/pay plus DA to the DRMs who are working against a sanctioned post/strength.
Further he said that similarly several other DRMs working in the same departments since long back still have not yet extended the above benefit of 1/30th Pay plus DA for various reasons. Such disparity of wages of DRMs working within the same departments deprived the legitimate rights of the poor workmen from the principle of equal pay for equal work.
In December 2019 the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta (circuit bench) at Port Blair has passed a landmark judgments in the matter of extending of 1/30th wages/pay in respect of daily rated mazdoors working in the Andaman Public Works department and resorting to the principle of equal pay for equal work, said that “an intelligible differentiation cannot be brought about between a daily rated casual worker engaged to do work against a sanctioned post and a worker engaged to do work against a post which is not sanctioned.”
Further he invited the attention of DoPT OM No. 4901/1/2017-Estt. (C) dated 04th Sept’ 2019 wherein the Govt. of India Ministry of Personnel & PG and Pensions, New Delhi as very categorically stated for equal pay for equal work in compliance with the solemn order of the Hon’ble Apex Court and reiterated the rate of 1/30th of the pay at the minimum of the relevant pay scale plus dearness allowance for work of 8 hours a day to the DRMs.
It is pertinent to mention here that the costs of living of these islands are much more expensive in comparison to the other parts of India by considering the geographical condition and far away from mainland. The minimum wages paid to the left out DRMs are certainly not fulfilling the basic needs.
Accordingly, he requested to resolve the disparity and anomaly of wages between DRMs working in various departments under A & N Administration may be extended of the wages 1/30th Pay plus DA in terms of the Administration’s OM No. 289, dated 22.09.2017 read with DoPT OM No. 4901/1/2017-Estt. (C) dated 04th Sept’ 2019 and also in compliance of the Hon’ble Apex Court for equal pay for equal works.