Over 4 lakh Govt employees in Chhattisgarh announce strike

Chhattisgarh government employees have announced a strike in demand for an increase in dearness allowance and house rent. During this, government offices will remain closed for an indefinite amount of time.

Raipur:State government employees of Chhattisgarh have announced an indefinite strike from Monday for an increase in dearness allowance (DA) and house rent (HRA). Several organisation of officers and employee organisations in the State are participating in the strike. Around 4.5 lakh employees and teachers are going to participate in the strike to press their demands.

Currently, 22 per cent DA is being given by the state government to the employees. The government on August 16 increased the DA of the employees and officers of the state by 6 per cent. But the state government employees want 34 per cent dearness allowance similar to that of the centre and an increase in HRA on the basis of 7th pay scale. The employees currently are given HRA on the basis of 6th pay scale.

Kamal Verma, the provincial convener of the Chhattisgarh Staff Officers Federation, said, "DA should be given at par with the center and house rent allowance on the basis of the seventh pay scale. At present, the central government is giving 34 per cent DA, whereas the state government is providing 28 per cent DA to employees and officers from the previous 22 per cent."

The Baghel government has asked the collectors of all the districts of Chhattisgarh to make alternate arrangements in the meantime as many government offices and departments will be affected by the strike. More than 52 departments may be affected because of their involvement in the strike.