Bhubaneswar: Demanding a hike in grade pay the All-Odisha Jail Employees association has launched a hunger strike from today. According to the sources, the jail employees under the association’s banner launched the stir in front of 92 jails across the state. As many as 1,800 jail employees from across the state have joined the strike.
In the meantime, the additional DG (Prisons) Arun Kumar Ray met the association today and said that steps will be taken in December to fulfill their demands.
“They have launched a strike demanding a hike in their grade pay. A proposal in this regard has been forwarded to the Home department. The Home department has sent the proposal to the Finance department. Certain clarifications have been sought on technical grounds. I will be sending the proposal once again to the State government and will apprise the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary about their demands,” said Arun Kumar Ray.
Following the meeting, the association has informed that the association will take a call on the strike after discussing the matter with the members.
“Now they have informed us that the government has already approved the food allowance. They asked us to refrain from strikes and assured us that they will look into the matter. We just had a meeting and after discussing with the members of our association we will take a decision. We have been already harassed earlier and we cannot take a decision in a hurry,” said president of the All-Odisha Jail Employees Association president, Mohammed Tamimmur Rehman.