The Hindu 29.08.2009
Sanitation: municipal corporation firm on privatisation in some wards
Staff Reporter
| Council approves hike in wages of temporary workers |
Semi-skilled workers to get Rs. 103 per day and skilled Rs. 116
Corporation to set up eSeva counter for the benefit of citizens
BERHAMPUR: The Berhampur Municipal Corporation is not inclined to go back on its move to privatise the maintenance of sanitation in some wards of the city.
The opposition of sanitary workers to the privatisation move was a major discussion at the council meeting of the corporation held on Friday.
The corporators, the Chairperson of the corporation and the Commissioner were unanimous in their decision to privatise sanitation works in five wards of the city.
Discussions were also held with representatives of the municipal sanitary workers’ union of the city. Chairperson of the municipality S.S. Dash informed them that the privatisation process would be deferred for the time being. But the municipal authorities made it clear that it did not mean that the corporation was rolling back its privatisation and outsourcing proposal of sanitary work.
To pacify the sanitary workers, the municipal authorities also announced a hike in the wages of temporary employees. The proposal of hike was approved by the council.
The temporary workers’ union of the municipality was demanding regularisation of their jobs and hike in their pay.
As per the revision, the 169 semi-skilled temporary employees would now be paid Rs. 103 per day and the 80 skilled temporary employees would be paid Rs. 116 per day. It may be noted that a large number of these temporary employees had been serving the municipality for 18 years.
During the council meeting it was also announced that within the next few weeks the corporation would come up with eSeva counter for the citizens. It would be an all-purpose counter. The citizens would be able to pay all types of cess to the municipality at the single window centre. The counter would also provide all data needed by the citizens.
