Jeypore: Sept 19 [UDN}:A general meeting of the Koraput and Kolab branches of the Odisha Diploma Engineers’ Service Association was held at the Jeypore Block conference hall, bringing together diploma engineers from different parts of Koraput district to discuss organisational matters, pending demands and the future course of action.
Representatives and members from all 14 blocks of Koraput district attended the meeting. The session was presided over by Kshirod Chandra Behera, Divisional Secretary of the Odisha Diploma Engineers’ Service Association, Koraput Division, while Bijay Kumar Nanda, president of the Kolab branch, conducted the proceedings.
During the meeting, members expressed strong dissatisfaction over the alleged delay in fulfilling the association’s seven-point charter of demands. The association had previously placed its demands before the state government on several occasions, but members said that adequate importance had not been given to the issues. They expressed concern that despite several initiatives and organisational efforts to secure implementation of the demands, no satisfactory progress had been achieved.
The participants discussed the possibility of taking fresh agitational measures if the government failed to address the long-pending demands. Members stressed the need for greater unity among diploma engineers and called for strengthening the association at the grassroots level so that a larger movement could be organised if necessary.
The meeting also emphasised that members of both the Koraput and Kolab branches should work together to effectively implement decisions taken by the association’s central leadership. Girija Shankar Pati, president of the Koraput branch, and Gopal Minz also addressed the gathering and discussed the importance of the association, the role of diploma engineers and ways to strengthen the organisation.
The speakers urged all members to remain united and collectively demonstrate the strength of the association before the government. They called for preparations for a larger movement to press for the fulfilment of the seven-point demands and stressed that organisational strengthening should begin from the grassroots level.
Seven-point demands
The major demands discussed at the meeting included:
1. Increasing the promotion quota from Assistant Engineer to Assistant Executive Engineer from 40 per cent to 50 per cent.
2. Granting due service benefits by taking into consideration the contractual service period of Junior Engineers appointed between 2003 and 2013.
3. Introducing a common cadre rule for all Diploma Engineers.
4. Providing four-tier SACP (Structured Assured Career Progression) benefits to all Diploma Engineers.
5. Implementation of the Old Pension Scheme for eligible employees.
6. Granting two additional increments to degree-holder Diploma Engineers, as demanded by the association.
7. Addressing the remaining service and career-progression-related issues of Diploma Engineers through appropriate government measures.
A large number of Diploma Engineers working under departments and agencies including Panchayati Raj, Rural Water Supply, Irrigation, ITDA and Rural Development participated in the meeting.
The participants reiterated their commitment to strengthening the association and maintaining unity among diploma engineers. They also expressed willingness to participate in future organisational programmes and, if required, an intensified agitation to ensure that their long-standing demands are taken up seriously by the state government.
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