Bhubaneswar, 17 August (H.S.): The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) observed a ‘Protest Day’ in Khordha district on Monday, demanding the early resolution of various long-pending issues concerning workers. The protesters took out a rally and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister and the Odisha Chief Minister to the district Collector.

The rally began at the Khordha New Bus Stand and proceeded to the Collectorate, where it culminated in a public meeting. Following the meeting, BMS representatives submitted a memorandum highlighting a range of demands related to workers’ wages, social security, pensions and employment protection.

The organisation urged both the Central and state governments to take immediate steps to address the long-pending demands of workers. Among its key demands are raising the ESIC wage ceiling from Rs 21,000 to Rs 42,000, increasing the minimum EPF pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500, and raising the EPF wage ceiling to Rs 30,000.

The BMS also demanded that the wage ceiling for bonus calculation be fixed at Rs 18,000, while the eligibility ceiling for bonus should be increased to Rs 42,000.

Other demands include an increase in the honorarium of scheme-based workers such as Anganwadi and ASHA workers, implementation of ‘equal pay for equal work’ for contractual employees, withdrawal of provisions of labour laws that the organisation considers anti-worker, and implementation of a five-day working week for bank employees.

The organisation further sought an increase in the maximum gratuity limit to Rs 40 lakh, fixation of a national minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000, and full job security for development officers of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

The BMS also demanded the immediate reinstatement of employees allegedly removed from various institutions in the state in violation of established rules.

Addressing the public meeting, speakers said the government should take immediate measures to ensure workers’ social security, better wages, pensions, employment security and improved working conditions.

BMS state secretary Ranjan Kumar Das, Satyabrata Parida, state secretary and general secretary of the All Odisha Anganwadi Ladies Workers Association Punjalata Das, Khordha district president Akshaya Kumar Routray, district secretary Amaresh Mahapatra and organisation secretary Partha Sarathi Mohanty, along with office-bearers of various workers’ organisations, workers and supporters, participated in the programme.

BMS district secretary Amaresh Mahapatra said the Protest Day was organised across all district headquarters in the country on August 17 in accordance with the decision taken at the organisation’s 161st Central Working Committee meeting held in Ranchi. The Odisha unit also organised similar programmes across all districts of the state.

The BMS said it would further intensify and expand its movement in the coming days if the workers’ legitimate demands are not addressed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda