Pay-band and contractual workers of GTA shouldget benefit of revised pay structure, says UEA

EOI CORRESPONDENT, DARJEELING, 25 AUGUST 2022 : The United Employee's Association (UEA), comprising pay-band and contractual workers of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has welcomed the decision of the West Bengal government to revise pay structure and extend pension scheme to the council body employees but they want the benefits to be extended to pay-band and contractual employees as well.

The GTA presently has 4000pay-band employees, while only 11 (from the DGHC tenure) are permanent as against the sanctioned 5012 vacant posts. As per the state government's announcement, only  the 11 permanent employees will be eligible for the twin schemes as pay-band and contractual workers will not be included. 

General Secretary of UEA DP Khawas, said: "We welcome the Bengal government's decision. The pay-band and contractual workers will be left out. But, we feel at least a process has started and soon the benefits will be extended to all the employees of the GTA".

In 2009, the state government, after several bouts of agitation by the employees, had agreed to regularize 3472 workers, but it failed to see the light of day due to political reasons. Initially, the DGHC inducted employees as contractual workers against a meager salary. However, from 2009 these contractual workers were included under the pay-band category with increased pay structure. "We want that the state government now take measures to include the pay-band and contractual workers under this schemes, so that we  stand to benefit during service and after retirement. We have given our prime time to the council body without any benefits," said Khawas. Pay-band workers are paid R.23,000 to Rs 24,000 but are not given medical, housing an d retirement benefits. At best they are given a one-time amount of Rs.3 lakhs as golden handshake of retirement. Contractual workers on the other hand receive Rs.15000 to Rs.16000 as remuneration.