The Karnataka PDO strike scheduled from September 21 has been postponed after the state government sought time to consider the demands of the Panchayat Development Officers’ Welfare Association, the organisation’s state president Dilip Kumar B. M. said after a meeting with Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre.
The association had called for a statewide strike over several service and administrative demands. It decided to defer the action after the minister sought time to respond to the issues, including the proposed upgradation of all Panchayat Development Officer posts to Group B and the elevation of officers who have completed the prescribed period of service.
According to the association, the minister said the government would examine whether other departments had issued similar orders granting Group B status after a specified period of service. The association has been asked to submit representations based on such examples, following which the department would take action, Dilip Kumar said.
The meeting also covered a seniority-related legal case. The minister reportedly said the Advocate General and senior counsel had been directed to appear on September 24 and that the department would make every effort to bring the matter to an early conclusion. The association has identified the issue as one of its key demands.
Another assurance concerns funding for gram panchayats. The minister is reported to have promised that a proposal to release ₹10 lakh to every gram panchayat as an alternative to the 15th Finance Commission grant would be prepared within 15 days. The source report did not specify the total financial requirement, the funding head or whether the proposal has received approval.
The association also said that a notification addressing several of its demands concerning e-Swathu issues would be issued soon. E-Swathu is linked to property-related records and services handled through local administration. The reported assurance comes as Panchayat Development Officers continue to seek changes in the workload and responsibilities attached to their posts.
On the issue of work assigned by other departments, the minister reportedly agreed that officers should not be deputed without the permission of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. An order to prevent what the association described as unnecessary workload from other departments is expected to be issued soon.
The association further raised concerns over the implementation of the VBG Ramji scheme. It said the minister had agreed that the scheme would be implemented only on the basis of demand and that the department would collect information from all zilla panchayat chief executive officers before taking action on the withdrawal of notices and punishments already issued.
Dilip Kumar said the minister had been in charge of the department for only about three months and that the government should be given a fair opportunity to act on the demands. The association has therefore suspended the strike for now, while making clear that the decision is conditional on implementation of the assurances.
If the commitments are not translated into action within a month, the association plans to organise a stronger protest at Freedom Fighters’ Park in Bengaluru, according to its president. The association said there would be no compromise on its demands.
