HT Correspondent
JORHAT, July 17: Employees at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) nationwide staged a day-long protest on Tuesday, wearing black badges to highlight their demands for equitable treatment. This protest coincided with the 96th ICAR Foundation and Technology Day celebration at ICAR headquarters in New Delhi.
The demonstrators voiced grievances over stark disparities in pay, service conditions, promotions, post-retirement benefits, death compensations, and other facilities between ICAR-run KVK employees and those managed by various other organisations. Of the 731 KVKs in India, only 66 are directly operated by ICAR, with the rest falling under state agricultural universities, state departments, NGOs, and similar entities.
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These disparities, exacerbated by what employees describe as unjust decisions from both ICAR and host organisations, impact approximately 10,000 workers, leading to job insecurity and uncertainty.
The Forum of KVK and AICRP has urged ICAR authorities to urgently address these issues to rejuvenate employee enthusiasm in serving farmers. Additionally, the forum has appealed to the government to meet long-standing demands of KVK employees and ensure fair and equal treatment.
