Mangalore: KMC staff protest pay scale anomaly

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Suresh Vamanjoor)

January 23, 2014

Mangalore, Jan 23: Nearly 300 non-teaching employees of the Kasturba Medical Hospital, Attavar, Mangalore staged a 'black badge protest' in front of the hospital entrance on Wednesday evening after their duty hours demanding an increase in their salaries according to the central or state government pay scale.

The protesters said the Manipal Education Institutes started in the year 1952 has the pay scale of the year 1996. Non-teaching staffs come under MAHE University have to receive pay scale under Medical Council of India. But the staffs are receiving very low pay. Now this has to be revised to the level of state or central government pay scale, they demanded.

Addressing the protestors, Vishwanath Shetty, President of Mangalore unit, Bharathiya Mazdoor Sangh, said the 62 year old institute has no revised pay scale to its non-teaching staff. During the year 1996, vice chancellor of the university had written a letter to assistant labour commissioner, Mangalore mentioning that institute has pay scale more than state government. But later it has cut off the increments and incentives. After 2003 no staffs has received the incentives, he said.

The staff had submitted two memoranda to the management demanding an increase in their salaries on January 15. Even management had assured of revised pay scale. But they had received only an oral assurance, hence they decided to protest silently, he said.

Sudarshan Puttur, president of KMC, Mangalore Employees Association said even after discussing the issue with management for several times, the salaries have not been revised. Employees have to be paid salary according to the central or state government pay scale. Any one among these pay scales can be accepted by the employees. But none of these are implemented here. Employees without the incentives facing nearly Rs 5,000 of loss every month, he said adding that present state government basic pay scale is Rs 9, 600 but we have Rs 4, 000 as of now, he added.

However, during the increment we receive Rs 20 to 80. This is not in a proper measure. Compare to raising cost of commodities, the pay is not acceptable, he said.

He said we are protesting wearing black badge at work place. Our demand is to have revised pay scale. Protest will be continued until our demands are met, he said.

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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