MAPUSA
The association said the government was dilly-dallying on the issue of implementing appropriate scales to the emolument package of the junior engineers (JE).
“The association has been consistently pursuing with the government for restoring the scales granted by the government consequent to the implementation of the restructuring package in April 2007,” said Balkrishna Naik, president, EDJEA.
The EDJEA president further said that though all relevant procedures had been followed to the extent of the same having passed by the Cabinet, the scales were reverted and other subordinate and lesser qualified staff was granted higher scales than the JEs.
According to the association chief, more than 50 vacancies existed in the department but the government failed to consider promotion of the JEs.
“Junior engineers having put more than 24 years of service are denied promotion due to administrative hurdles,” Naik said adding, “Assistant engineers holding additional charge are unable to meet the expectations of the public due to workload, thereby causing inconvenience to the public.”
He said many times JEs were humiliated by placing them below the subordinate staff. During election, the JEs have to work below the subordinate staff on account of lower grade pay, he added. “Several JEs are holding additional charges for more than three years, thereby putting them to a lot of stress and subjected to the risk of omissions and commissions for which junior engineers are always held responsible, even to the extent of facing criminal charges, thereby affecting their promotional avenues,” the EDJEA chief said.
