SHIVADEEP RAI
Gangtok: “The SDF party came into existence with the name and identity of Khali Khutte ko Party (barefooted people’s party) or poor people’s party. The party is working with its optimum ability for the development and welfare of the poor people since it came into power. The labourers and employees of Sikkim are highest paid in the entire nation”, said Chief Minister Dr Pawan Chamling, addressing the May Day gathering at Mining Playground in Rangpo on May 1.
Dr Chamling is also the President of the All Sikkim Democratic Labor Front (ASDLF). Highlighting the development of labourers in Sikkim achieved by the SDF government, he said the daily wage of labourers in Sikkim has been increased to Rs.100 minimum and Rs.150 maximum according to their skill, as against the earlier rate of Rs.17 till 1994 when SDF party formed the government.
The enhanced wages have been implemented from April 1, 2008, and notified in the State Government Gazette which none can violate, he said. “We have acted according to our words in the interest of labourers and poor people”, CM underlined. Elaborating on welfare policies of the SDF government, he said now pregnant female regular Muster Role (MR) workers of the State government will get maternity leave of three months and their husbands will be entitled to paternity leave and the salary of home guards will be increased. The State government has provided funds to ICDS workers equivalent to the amount that the Central Government provides and increased the salary above the supervisory level with promotion and other facilities, he added.
He recalled, that to protect the rights of the people of Sikkim, the Sikkim Protection Act was passed in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly in 2008 in which it made mandatory for all public undertaking companies to provide 95% employment to Sikkim Subject holders and Sikkim Voter Identity Card holders. Speaking of future prospects, Dr Chamling said that the government is working on the salary increase of ICDS workers below the supervisory level, policies for implementation of a minimum wage rate of Rs.3000 per month in all factories, Rs 3,000 as the basic salary of regular factory workers, and parity in salary of two persons, one working in a government department and another in a factory, holding equivalent position.
Regarding MR workers of the State government, he said that the matter of regularization of MR hinges on the Supreme Court’s direction.
However, the State government has made various relaxations for the MR workers like the relaxation of academic qualification. He refuted a complaint that the State government and its officers are “anti-poor”. He appealed to the people to develop their minds in order to identify wrong and right persons. “Become capable enough to recognize your friend and your enemy and know the intention of the wrong person”, he told the gathering. He said one or two newspapers are trying to distort the image of the SDF government and create hindrances in development and appealed to the people to condemn them and raise voices against such kind of anti-development elements.
Mr BM Ramudamu, Vice President of ASDLF and Mr DT Lepcha, Minister for State PWD also addressed the gathering. ASDLF and labourers of Chaudhary Group Wai Wai factory of Rangpo felicitated Dr Chamling and offered citation for his “genuine principles and work initiated for the welfare of the labourers”. Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Panchayats and departmental officials were among the large number of people who attended the function.
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