Mass Demonstrations Across A&N Islands Demanding 1/thirtieth Pay + DA and Regularisation for Gram Panchayat DRMs

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 13 August 2025

The Andaman & Nicobar PRI Karmachari Sangh (CITU) on Wednesday staged mass demonstrations throughout the islands, urgent for the grant of 1/thirtieth of pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA) to all each day rated mazdoors (DRMs) working in Gram Panchayats and searching for regularization of their providers.

The central demonstration was held earlier than the Directorate of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Institutions (RD & PRI) at Marine Hill, Sri Vijaya Puram, the place a lot of DRMs from Gram Panchayats within the South Andaman rural areas participated.

Inaugurating the protest, B. Chandrachoodan, President of the PRI Karmachari Sangh, strongly criticized the A&N Administration for denying the 1/thirtieth pay advantages to lots of of DRMs regardless of a beneficial High Court order. “The Administration continues to deprive DRMs of their rightful benefits, and this injustice cannot be tolerated,” he stated.

Addressing the gathering, R. Surendran Pillai, General Secretary of the Sangh, warned that comparable agitations would proceed if the Administration didn’t implement the pay and DA advantages throughout the Union Territory. CITU Secretaries S.P. Kalairajan and Anand Rajan, together with PRI Karmachari Sangh leaders Asmat Ali, Krishna Rao, and C.H. Jogulu, additionally led the protest.

Protests Across the Islands:

• Great Nicobar: DRMs staged an indication in entrance of the Assistant Commissioner’s workplace in Campbell Bay, led by Amit and Vinod, with an handle by A. Lawrence.

• Little Andaman: Workers held a procession at Hut Bay Bazaar, culminating in an indication earlier than the Tehsildar’s workplace. M.A. Karim (CITU) and Viju (PRI Karmachari Sangh) addressed the gathering.

• Swaraj Dweep: Protesters gathered earlier than the Assistant Commissioner’s workplace, with speeches by Parimal Samaddar and Sabita Mani Kumari.

• Diglipur: An illustration was organized in entrance of the Assistant Commissioner’s workplace, the place Sunil Bepari and Barun Biswas (CITU) and Shivkumar (PRI Karmachari Sangh) addressed members.

The union has reiterated that the struggle for pay parity and job regularisation for DRMs in Gram Panchayats will intensify if their calls for stay unmet.