Raj engineers threaten stir over pay issue

The relay sit-in organised by a body of state government engineers in Rajasthan to demand pay parity with their central government counterparts entered the eighth day today.
About 20 engineers each from Udaipur and Jalore districts had started a relay sit-in at Udyog Bhawan ground here on June 24, said B L Jat, general secretary, Federation of Rajasthan Engineers (FRE).
If the demands are not met, the relay sit-in will continue till July 30 and a mass "chetawani rally" (ultimatum rally) will be organised on July 31 in Jaipur, Jat said.
"Although the sixth pay commission has been adopted in the state, pay scales of engineers from junior to chief engineer is (in the grade of) state teachers and principals," Jat said.

"Every engineering department should have promotion avenues through cadre review. FRE demands finalisation of the Krishna Bhatnagar Committee set up to revise the pay regimes of engineers and promotional scales upon completion of 6, 12, 18 and 24 years of service," he said.
FRE claims to represent over 20,000 engineers from the power, water, PWD, public health, engineering and other departments of the state.