Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 09 June 2022
Mr. Vishal Jolly National Executive Member, BJP, Former State President BJP- ANI and Member Home Ministry Advisory Committee, GoI has requested to extend the financial benefit of 1/30th pay plus DA to all the DRMs working under A & N Administration through a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration today.
In his letter, he invited the attention of the Chief Secretary on the above issue and stated that the A & N administration had taken a policy decision to enhance the wages of the DRMs engaged in various departments, organisations and autonomous bodies w.e.f 01st September 2017 vide A & N Administration O.M. No. 289, dated 22.09.2017 and the Govt. of India O.M. No. 7-10/2016/PCC dated 31.03.2017. In pursuance of the above O.M dated 01.09.2017, the Andaman Public Works Department (APWD) and some other departments under the administration have extended the benefits of 1/30th wages/pay plus DA to the DRMs working against the sanctioned post/strength.
Further, he said that similarly several other DRMs working in the same departments are still not receiving the benefits of 1/30th Pay plus DA for various reasons. Such disparity of wages of DRMs working within the same departments is a deprivation of the legitimate rights of the poor workmen from the principle of equal pay for equal work.
In December 2019 the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta (Circuit Bench) at Port Blair in a landmark judgment in the matter of extending of 1/30th wages/pay to the daily rated mazdoors working in Andaman Public Works department said that “an intelligible differentiation cannot be brought about between a daily rated casual worker engaged to do work against a sanctioned post and a worker engaged to do work against a post which is not sanctioned.”
Further, Mr. Jolly has invited the attention of DoPT OM No. 4901/1/2017-Estt. (C) dated 04th Sept’ 2019 wherein the Ministry of Personnel & PG and Pensions, New Delhi has very categorically advocated for equal pay for equal work in compliance with the solemn order of the Hon’ble Apex Court and reiterated the rate of 1/30th of the pay at the minimum of the relevant pay scale plus dearness allowance for work of 8 hours a day to the DRMs.
It is pertinent to mention here that the costs of living of these islands is much more in comparison to the other parts of India. The minimum wages which are currently being paid to the left out DRMs is certainly not fulfilling their basic needs.
Accordingly, he requested to resolve the disparity of wages between DRMs working in various departments under A & N Administration.