The government has formed a
committee to review pay structure and social security benefits provided to
'gramin dak sevaks'.The one-man committee will review
and suggest changes in existing wage structures, facilities and other social
security benefits provided to 'gramin dak sevaks' (GDS), according to a
notification by the Communications and IT Ministry.Gramin dak sevaks are
extra-departmental agents recruited by the postal department to serve in rural
areas.They have been demanding pay and
facilities at par with regular postal department employees.
"The question of examining the
conditions of service and emoluments and other facilities available to the
Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) has been under the consideration of the Government of
India for some time.The Government has now decided to
set up a one-man committee for the purpose," the notification dated
November 19 said.The Committee headed by Retired
Member of the Postal Services Board Kamlesh Chandra will go into the service
conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks and suggest changes as considered necessary, it
said.
All India GDS Union last week had
demanded that the panel should be formed under retired Supreme Court or High
Court judge and not under chairmanship of a retired officer.In the letter to Secretary,
Department of Posts, the union said that it will go on one-day hunger strike on
November 27 at divisional offices, at circle offices on December 4 and in New
Delhi on December 10 if the demand is not met.The committee will examine the
system of branch post offices, employment conditions and the existing structure
of wage and emoluments paid to GDS and recommend necessary changes.
