MGNREGA outsourced employees staged a protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Friday, demanding job security, timely monthly wages and better service conditions from the Karnataka government. The demonstration was organised under the leadership of the Karnataka State MGNREGA Employees Welfare Association.
The employees said about 3,657 outsourced staff members working under the current MGNREGA administrative system face prolonged uncertainty despite supporting the rural employment programme for around 15 years. They claimed that outsourced personnel have been managing software systems of the Rural Development Department since 2008 but have not received service security.
The protesters demanded that the government immediately issue an official order confirming the continuation of their services. They also sought regularisation of their posts after taking their long service into account, along with service protection. Another key demand was the implementation of equal pay for equal work, citing Supreme Court directions.
The employees further sought 30% reservation for administrative assistants in appointments to First Division Assistant and Second Division Assistant posts in taluk panchayats. They demanded that existing employees receive first priority in new recruitments by the department.
Regular payment of salaries by the fifth day of every month was also among the demands. The association asked for travel allowance to be increased to ₹5,000 and for pending travel allowances to be released. It also sought the extension of travel allowance to Technical MGNREGA Information System and administrative assistants who travel between field offices, taluk panchayats and district panchayats for work.
The protesters demanded gratuity for employees who have completed 10 years of service, the facility of inter-district transfers and regular grievance meetings at district and state levels. These demands relate not only to employment conditions but also to the continuity of the administrative workforce that supports the rural employment programme’s digital and office operations.
The demonstration was attended by Karnataka State MGNREGA Employees Welfare Association president R. Vinay Kumar, vice-president Suresh Balikai and other employees. The report did not mention any immediate response from the Rural Development Department or specify whether the government had accepted a timeline for addressing the demands.
