BENGALURU: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday gave in-principle approval for regularising pourakarmikas who have been directly recruited but not regularised by urban local bodies across Karnataka, including BBMP.
He said a committee will be formed to oversee the regularisation process. It will include representatives from pourakarmikas.
However, representatives of BBMP's pourakarmikas, who are on an indefinite strike from Friday, said they will continue to protest till the CM's promises are handed to them in writing.
As per the classification, of 54,000 pourakarmikas in urban local bodies across the state, 17,000 have been regularised as government employees, while 26,349 pourakarmikas have been directly recruited but not made permanent on the government scale. About 16,000 of these direct recruits are working in Bengaluru.
The pourakarmika representatives were called for a meeting with Bommai to discuss the issues related to their well-being and financial concerns. Soon after the meeting, the CMO said in a release that in-principle approval has been given to regularise direct recruits and that a committee involving representatives of the law department, pourakarmikas and senior government officials will be set up to oversee it.
The CM said women pourakarmikas will be given the same maternal benefits as state government employees.
He said the government will provide separate housing for pourakarmikas and formulate an education policy for their children on the lines of farmers' children education policy.
