It's a BLACK DIWALI
for those employed with the Delhi Government "Gender Resource Centres" as they have not been paid wages for the past seven months. Nearly 1,400 staffers are employed with the 130 GRCs that function across the city. Several of the employees participated in a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 20th October, 2014 and raised slogans during protest. Staffers are also miffed
with an official email communication on 19th October to all the GRCs that the salaries and rent will be paid in accordance with the 2012-13 Budget instead of increments that were promised in the following financial year. It is told that the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) has not sanctioned the increments so the employees will be paid in accordance with the previous financial year. The protestors have written letters to the Director of Samajik Suvidha Santana. (SSS) - Mission Convergence, the program that monitors the functioning of the GRCs, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, WCD Director and even to the Prime Minister Office. Ideally for the April - June period the employees should have been received their salaries by July but the funds have not been released till date. Also Mission Convergence released funds according to fixed rates for the rent they pay for the premises from where the GRCs operate even though every year the rents are actually increased. Invariably, the NGO looking after the GRC ends up footing the extra amount. With the GRCs playing a crucial role in the implementation of welfare schemes among the poor and the vulnerable of the city. Each of the 130 GRCs employes nine staffers and accountant, who draw between Rs. 8000 and Rs. 16000 in wages depending on their designation except resource persons who visit GRC.
