Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Jun 1: National Rural Postal Employees Association, district division, held a protest on Friday, June 1, demanding the government to provide benefits of 7th pay scale to the employees.

Addressing the protesters, Hiriyanna Madiwala, president, National Rural Postal Employees Association said, “The central government has implemented the benefit of 7th pay commission to other employees with effect from June 1, 2016. At present, rural postal employees’ basic salary is Rs 4,220.

“There are only 2,42,000 rural postal employees and Kamlesh Chandra Committee was appointed for looking into salary hike. To implement the report submitted by the committee, many protests and agitations were held across the nation. From May 22, 2018, about 1,29,500 postal employees are on strike which has interrupted postal service across the country,” he said.

The protesters urged the government to implement the recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee and provide the benefits of 7th pay scale to the employees. Around 525 employees in Udupi district are on strike which has interrupted postal service in rural areas.

N Bhaskar, treasurer, Ashwath Kumar, secretary and rural postal employees of the district took part in the protest.