HP: Zila Parishad employees hold protest demanding merger in Rural development dept

Shimla: Zila Parishad employees on Tuesday held protests in Chaura Maidan near the Legislative Assembly demanding a merger in the Rural Development department of the state government.  

Shouting slogans, the employees said that they are reminding Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of his promises which he made to them before he became Chief Minister of the state.

"We are today demanding the merger of the Zila Parishad employees into the department. We have given it the name "Vada yaad Dilao rally" (The rally to remind the promise. The present Chief minister in 2022 had promised that once Congress comes into power they will merge the employees of PRI and Zila parishad into the department. We are hopeful that he would fulfil our demand," Rajesh Thakur, employees leader said.

He further stated that Zila Parishad employees are not getting equal benefits that are being given to their state government counterparts.  
"If the government will not fulfill our demands then we shall plan a strategy for future course of action. We are over 4700 employees and we are saying there will not be any financial implications on the state government but we are not getting the benefits of the sixth pay commission," Rajesh Thakur said.
"They will have to pay the same scale to us even if our cadre remains the same as Zila Parishad under Panchayati Raj Institution. We hope our demand will be considered," he added.