Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)

Mangaluru, Sep 30: The district gram panchayat employees' union felicitated Panchayat Raj activist Maruthi Manpade, at NGO hall in the city on Friday September 30.

The district in-charge minister B Ramanatha Rai, felicitated the activist on behalf of the union.

Speaking at the felicitation he said, "Maruthi Manpade, being from left winged activism has been been well known amongst the spectrum of leaders of all political parties. He is the man who has united all the employees of the various gram panchayats in the state and worked for their upliftment. Many farmers in the district have benefitted from left winged organisations. Left winged organisations are responsible for the upliftment of many in the district."

The president of the district gram panchayat employees' union, Yadhava Shetty said, "Gram panchayat's daily wages have still not been paid to the workers. The executive officers and PDO's do not respond positively when a panchayat employee or worker is in trouble. This has to stop."

Speaking on the occasion, secretary of the Zilla Panchayat N R Umesh said, "Rights are entitled to employees as per the law but implemented effectively only after their struggle. We must note that for the Panchayat Raj revolution even employees of the several panchayats in the country are as much responsible in decentralising power."

President of the Zilla Panchayat, Meenakhsi Shanthigodu, district vice president of CITU, Vasanthachari, district secretary of the gram panchayat employee's union, Raghu Subramanya and others were present at the occasion.