By Aryan

Pune: The Maharashtra government, as per the central government’ digitalization policy, introduced e-Panchayat mechanism in 2011 to provide citizens with various services at a click. By setting up centers for such services, the state government appointed around 20,000 youths as Computer Operators at a meager remuneration of Rs 6930 a month. Despite the assurance to increase the remuneration by Rs 3000 a month by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in March this year, there is not implementation of the assurance till date. This has led to the discontent among the Computer Operators across the state.

These 20,000 people have been out of their job since 1st July as the contract of CSC-SPV, the operating agency, was terminated. They were employed under CSC-SPV for Rs.6930 though the Maharashtra Minimum Wages Act says the minimum salary must be Rs 16000 per month. Since the new implementation agency has not been appointed, and even if it is appointed the Computer Operators are not sure whether the new agency will retain them.

After starting the project of providing e-services to people in 2011 under the name Sangram, the state government named it Common Services Centre and later AAple Sarkar Seva Kendras (ASSK) in due course. It appointed over 20,000 such centers to provide e-services to over 70 million people, especially in rural Maharashtra. These centers are operated by 20,000 computer operators, at the meager salary of Rs 6930 for years. They were employed by CSC-SPV, the special purpose vehicle set up to run the operations of these services.

The ASSKs, operated by these computer operators, impart fundamental services like railway, bus reservation, registration for Pan Card, Aadhar card, various agriculture-related documents, passport, payment of various bills including electric, telephone bills. The ASSKs have become an integral part of the rural ecosystem.

The computer operators under the banner of their organization Maharashtra Rajya Sanganak Parichalak Sanghatana, have been protesting for their rightful demand of the rise in the remuneration for years. Taking the cognizance of it, Rural Development Minister Girish Mahjan had on January 11, 2023 set up a committee under IAS officer Abhay Yawalkar to recommend the steps to be taken. The committee had recommended the status of Gram Panchayat employee and the minimum wages to these operators. Over one and half year on, the recommendations have not been accepted.

On one another protest in Mumbai, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in March this year assured them to increase the remuneration by Rs 3000 a month. “After our protest for 25 days at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in February-March this year, the state cabinet decided to terminate the CSC-SPV services from June 30,2024.

The government in June this year also announced through a government resolution that the services were handed over to Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation (MahaIT). However, the MahaIT has clarified that no such hand over has yet happened. This has put the operators in lurch giving them no ray of hope,” said Siddheshwar Munde, President, Maharashtra Rajya Sanganak Parchalak Sanghtana (MRSPS).

Munde has also raised questions over the state government’s decision on June 30,2024, of terminating the service CSC-SPV as it has led to the great in convenience to the people in rural parts of the state. “On the other hand, MahaIT has refused to undertake the operations of the ASSKs leading to inconvenience not only to the people but also to the computer operators. The Rural Development Department of the state government has directed all the district councils to continue the operations of the ASSKs. In fact, in the absence of the technical support and the sofrware required to run the operations. The Computer Operators have, however, continued their work of various government departments online and offline, though they have been unemployed by the government order dated July 1, 2024,” he added.

There are rumors that Rural Development Minister Mr. Girlish Mahajan is interfering in the working of the department as he wants to give the contract to his favourite party, and that is the sole reason the CSC SPV contract was cancelled. This crony capitalism of Minister has led to the job loss of 20,000 people who were working day and night in the Panchayat digitalization work. These computer operators may opt for political affiliation of their union to voice their right to live with the minimum wage as per Maharashtra Government rules.

In a petition filed by Gadchiroli-based Ambatpalli Gram Panchayat in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court against State, Central governments the petitioner has pointed at Maharashtra government’s arbitrary decisions of changing the agencies involved in the operations of the ASSKs. “The decision has put burdened on Gram Panchayats of additional costs from their own funds as the decision was taken without any discussion or permission of the Gram Panchayats. There is no mention of the appointments of compouter opertaors or the fate of the existing operators.

The decision lacks legal sanctity and is in brech of the independence and self-governance of panchayats guaranteed by the constitution. This has been done when the Gram Panchayats are in the process of registering farmers for crucial PM Kisan Fasal Yojan and Kisan Sanman Yojana,” the petition.

The MRSPS has demanded the absorption of these computer operators in the services of the gram panchayats. “The government should also ensure minimum wages to them and the technical support to the ASSKs,” Munde added.