Employees of District Rural Development Agencies (DRDA) Monday began their third phase of agitation by going on a mass casual leave in protest against non-release of pending salaries for months. The agitation would continue till September 6, 2019.
One of the DRDA project directors confirmed that the employees in all the districts were taking part in the agitation and would continue if the demands were not met.
Earlier, a pen-down strike was held from August 23-30. The aggrieved employees have threatened to completely shutdown of offices from September 7, 2019 onwards. As per the representation submitted to the state government, the two demands made by the aggrieved employees include immediate release of pending salary and timely payment of salary thereafter.
A project director informed that creation of liabilities especially for Software for Estimate Calculation Using Rural rates for Employment (SECURE) districts of Dimapur, Kohima, Wokha and Longleng was badly affected.
PD also informed without TS and AS approval, geotagging and creation of mandays was not possible, which he said was greatly affecting the benefit of the job card holders.
Principal Secretary RD, Bendangkokba, claimed that the state government has cleared the pending salary, but the files were yet to reach the department. He said once the department received the files, it would clear the pending salary latest by this week.