Bhubaneswar: The ongoing strike of nearly 300 scientists and employees of 31 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) functioning under the administrative control of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) entered third day on Thursday at the university premises.
Decrying the apathetic attitude of the OUAT authorities towards them, the scientists and employees have resorted to agitation from Tuesday despite their efforts to resolve the problem by dialogue did not yield any results.
The scientists and employees are protesting the slipshod attitude of the OUAT authorities in recommending the State Government for regularisation of their jobs and implementation of Revised Assured Career Progression Scheme (RACP), Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACP) and also inclusion in the National Pension Scheme (NPS).
The protestors alleged that though the State Government is very much keen to regularise their jobs and interested in implementing RACP, MACP and NPS for them, but the OUAT authorities has not yet submitted any proposal to the Government over the issue depriving them of getting basic minimum service surety.
There are nearly 700 Krishi Vigyan Kendras operating in the country. Of this, at least 33 are functioning in Odisha. Out of the 33, 31 cenrtes are under the administrative control of OUAT while two centres are under the control of NRRI.
It is pertinent to mention here that scientists and employees of Krishi Vigyan Kendras in other States are getting all the benefits like RACP, MACP and NPS and job security.
Besides organising Krishi Mela (agriculture fair), the Krishi Vigyan Kendras are agricultural extension centres that provide farm support to the agricultural sector like providing technology dissemination to farmers, training, awareness etc.
