Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Scientists of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India are the major contributors in the saga of Green, white, blue and now the rainbow revolution. They work incessantly under the rain and sun to serve the nation through ensuring food security and welfare of the farming community in the backdrop of climate change and the dwindling resources viz., insufficient manpower and research funding. They deserve to get free working ambience without any administrative and bureaucratic hurdles, timely payment of salary and uniform working schedule in tune with the parallel national scientific organizations. However, it is quite unfortunate that a series of events that occurred in the recent times have affected their research ambience, dignity and self-respect thereby lowered the morale of the scientists. The following two issues which is long term demand of ICAR scientists are still unaddressed which are their basic rights.
- Most of the central government workforce of the nation including all scientific organizations has been drawing their revised salary emoluments as per the Seventh Pay Commission for more than a year. Though the recommendations of UGC pay review committee were accepted by the Government long back, ICAR scientists have yet to realize the benefit of the same.
- Their longstanding demand of 5 working days per week though enjoys majority support of ICAR scientists and RMPs has been turned down in GB meeting which clearly reflects highest level of insensitivity towards genuine needs of scientific community.
Under this background, the Agricultural Research Service Scientists Forum (ARSSF) which represents the larger scientific community of ICAR strongly condemns the apathy and insensitiveness towards the genuine needs of the scientific community and opines that their sincerity and loyalty is being taken for granted. Hence, the ARSSF has given a call to observe a silent protest by all the scientists of ICAR across the country on 01st March 2018 by wearing black badges, to reinforce and bring to the nation’s attention their demands for implementation of revised pay and implementation of five working days in ICAR institutes with immediate effect. The ARSSF has directed all the local units of ARSSF of all ICAR Institutes to observe silent protest on this day and make it a grand success.
Accordingly, the local units of ARSSF of ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai and Mumbai Research Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute also join hands with the scientific fraternity across the nation to show their solidarity for the cause and immediate implementation of their demands. Approximately 75 scientists are involved in the protest on March 1, 2018. (AparnaChaudhari),President.
Mail to: info@krishijagran.com
