Govt employees hold protest rally, demand 10 pc SDA

AGEA Leh President Tashi Chosphel addressing the rally at Polo Ground in Leh on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Morup Stanzin
AGEA Leh President Tashi Chosphel addressing the rally at Polo Ground in Leh on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Morup Stanzin

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, June 26: All Government Employees Association (AGEA) Leh organized a massive rally in Leh today demanding fulfillment of their long pending demand of 10% Special Duty Allowance (SDA) and restoration of Reservation in promotion.
The rally was attended by thousands of Government employees. It started from NAC Eco-Park Leh and after passing through Balkhang Chowk and Maney-Tsilding culminated at Polo-Ground, Leh.
To press their demand, all the Government employees working in Leh district including the HoDs went on complete pen-down strike today, thereby hampering the working in all the sectors. They were also demanding release of salary of teachers working under RMSA, SSA and ReT in Leh district alleging that they are without salary since March 2019.
President of AGEA Leh, Tashi Chosphel, while addressing to the rally, said that the demand of 10% SDA in favour of Government employees working in Ladakh is very genuine considering area specific hardships including inhospitable climatic condition, inadequate healthcare facilityand high cost of living in Ladakh region. The speakers highlighted that the consequences of pity allowance for employees working in Ladakh have resulted in their reluctance to work here which has grossly affected all the important sectors like education, health and development.
The executives of the Employees Union said that they will make further strategies for more strikes if the Government does not respond to their genuine demand and peaceful protests.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Central Government employees working in Ladakh have been enjoying 12.5% SDA since 2006 under Sixth Pay Commission while as the State Government has kept its employees of Ladakh Division deprived from this benefit.

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