Odisha village agri workers resort to cease-work protest 

Village Agriculture Workers in Odisha have launched a strike from Thursday over six demands. Their major demands included cadre restructuring and grade pay revision. 

Scores of Village Agriculture Workers staged a sit-in in front of the district agriculture officer in Kendrapara by resorting to cease work.

Apart from cadre restructuring and grade pay, the agitating workers demanded that the eligibility for the post should be a graduation degree. They warned of launching an indefinite dharna in Bhubaneswar if the government fails to listen to their demands.

In Ganjam, over 100 village agriculture workers resorted to cease work seven days ago.

Speaking to the media, the General Secretary of Gramya Krushi Karmachari Sangh (Kendrapara), Tapas Samal said, “We had earlier demanded cadre restructuring. We were assured that it would be done in two to three months.  We were advised not to go on strike. Then, we did not take up agitation.”

“When we saw things are getting delayed by the government, we had halted mobile service from February 8 to 12. No digital work was done. As it cut no ice with the government, we started dharna from February 13 and it will continue till February 19 in all 30 districts,” he added.