New Delhi, 16 July (H.S.): Recognised service associations representing Group 'B' and Group 'C' employees of the Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) Cadre, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), have announced a peaceful protest to press for their long-pending demands.
According to a statement issued by the BMS, the associations have formally notified the authorities of a joint peaceful demonstration scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on July 29 at the Defence Office Complex on Africa Avenue in New Delhi. The employee organisations have alleged that the ongoing comprehensive cadre review in the Ministry of Defence has once again overlooked the long-standing concerns of lower-grade employees.
The associations stated that although the administration had assured transparency and consultations with employees during the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) meeting, those assurances have not been implemented.
The employees have put forward several key demands, including reducing the direct recruitment quota for the Section Officer (SO) grade from 50 per cent to 10 per cent.
They have also sought a faster promotion process by reducing the current waiting period of 17 to 18 years for Assistant Section Officers (Departmental Promotion) to be promoted as regular Section Officers. In addition, they have demanded the immediate implementation of the first promotion for Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), which has reportedly remained pending for the past 15 years.
The associations also cited official data, claiming that since 2018 only 12 direct recruitments have been made against 368 vacant Section Officer posts, describing the figures as evidence of the shortcomings of the existing recruitment system.
Clarifying the organisation's stand, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh National General Secretary Dr. Dipendra Chahar said, We have submitted several representations to the administration regarding these demands, but the issues affecting lower-grade employees remain unresolved. The proposed demonstration will be entirely peaceful and disciplined. Our sole objective is to draw the attention of the competent authorities to this serious issue so that justice is ensured for employees of the AFHQ Cadre.
The employee associations have assured the administration that the proposed demonstration will not disrupt or interfere with the functioning of government offices in any manner.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
