Port Blair, June 04: The Congress party today urged that Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to hike the salary of staffs appointed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NGNREGA).
Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, Pradesh Congress Committee of Andaman and Nicobar Islands met the Lt. Governor of A & N Islands recently and apprised him of the plight of grass root level MGNREGA staffs viz. Programme Officers, Assistant Engineers, Accountants, Technical Assistants, Data Entry Operators and Gram Rozgar Sevaks appointed on contract basis.
“The consolidated pay structure of these employees was fixed taking into consideration the pay of the government servants prevailing during V pay commission with no provision for TA or DA. During VI pay commission the salaries of government employees has been increased manifold but MGNREGA workers did not get any hike in their salary,” Sharma informed media today.
He added that at present pay of MGNREGA employees is not enough to meet the day to day expenses and requirements of their families keeping in mind the high cost index of essential commodities, standard of living and difficult geographical conditions prevailing in the Islands.
Sharma added that the Lt. Governor has assured him that necessary instructions in this regard will be issued and the case of the MGNREGA employees will be given due consideration.
