'Discharge duties first, then make demands'

Bangalore, Jun 21: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today asked the State Government employees to discharge their duties efficiently, before seeking fulfillment of their demands, including implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission pay scale.

Inaugurating a two-day State Government Employees Convention here, he regretted that during his 'Janata Darshan', many complaints pointed to lethargy on the part of employees. Citing a case, he said ''during one of the 'Janata Darshan' programmes, after coming to know about a woman's plight to make both ends meet following her husband's death, I directed the official concerned to take immediate action to solve her problem. But it is already over a month and the work is yet to be done, leaving that woman to suffer.'' Stating that imbalances remained despite the Government coming up with many welfare schemes due to its improper implementation, Mr Kumaraswamy called upon the officials to introspect and said ''employees should work with responsibility. You are organised sector, you should work to uplift the unorganised sector...

Governments may come and go, but employees should discharge their duties with honesty.'' About the demand for a transfer policy, he said the State Government, in consultation with experts, was working towards drafting such a policy.

Releasing a souvenir brought out to mark the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said accountability, transparency and reaching out to the public were important for a Government to function successfully and Government employees played a key role in achieving the goals of welfare schemes.

''Priority should be accorded to implement Government welfare schemes for the needy,'' he added.

State Government Employees Association President Sheshegowda, in a memorandum to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, urged for the removal of disparity in salary and allowances between State Government employees and their Central Government counterparts. While the Centre was mulling to set up Sixth Pay Commission, the State was yet to implement the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations. He also sought to increase the retirement age from 58 to 60 as done by the Centre.

UNI