The decision by the government to have a relook at the state’s five-decade-old job reservation policy has spurred economically weak sections of society to ask for a separate 10 per cent quota.
The request was made today on behalf of minimum wage workers, cooks and helpers in the Midday Meal Scheme and others. It came on the day that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma attended the 8th General Meeting of the All Jaiñtia Muster Roll Workers and Labour Union in collaboration with the Union of Cook cum Helpers PM Poshan (Midday Meal Scheme) at Madan Kawang, Ummulong.
Currently, there are separate reservations for the Khasi-Jaiñtia and Garo tribes as well as other Scheduled Tribes as well as people with disabilities.
Today’s request suggested that tribals and other permanent residents of Meghalaya whose family income does not exceed Rs 5 lakh per annum be eligible for the 10 per cent quota in jobs as well as academics.
Under the current system affluent tribals have a huge advantage when it comes to applying for reservations as they can afford to attend the best schools, extra tuition and coaching institutes. This creates a two-tier tribal structure that disadvantages the poor.
Reservation for economically weaker members of society would help daily wage labourers, contract teachers, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, domestic workers, street vendors, farmers and others.
Midday meal workers, meanwhile, asked that the state government petition the Centre for an increase in the latter’s share of their salaries. Currently, the state contributes Rs 1,100 per month per worker and the Centre Rs 900 and this is only paid for the months of April to November. Now, the workers want the central government to pay Rs 4,000 per month per worker.
The muster roll workers, for their part, presented the CM with a memorandum that highlighted their grievances, namely that daily minimum wage workers in the Water Resource Department and Education Department in Jaiñtia Hills are not receiving full monthly salaries; the Meghalaya Regular Casual Workers has not been implemented in letter and spirit; that daily minimum wage workers are being forced to retire at 58 but they want this raised to 62 as they are not eligible for pensions; departments are not following the directive to upgrade the payscale of workers from unskilled to semi-skilled once they cross five years of service; there is no social security; no maternity/paternity benefits.
Meanwhile, Sangma, in his speech, praised his government for taking up the issue of payment of salaries for muster roll workers in a timely manner in order to avoid delays in payment.
The Chief Minister also assured the gathering of muster roll workers and mid day meal cooks that the issues faced by them in terms of wages, maternity leave and other benefits will be addressed by the government. “Though all the issues mentioned in the memorandum that you have submitted may not be resolved there will be no shortcomings in the efforts that will be put in by the government,” he said.
