CM and DCM Distribute Appointment Letters to 12,692 BBMP Workers

Karnataka Govt Regularizes 12,692 Civic Workers, Allocates ₹600 Crore for Welfare

May Day Gift Includes Job Security, Higher Wages, and Overseas Opportunities for Sanitation Staff

Bengaluru, May 1: In a landmark decision marking May Day, the Karnataka government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar regularized 12,692 pourakarmikas (civic workers) and announced plans to absorb 9,000 more drivers, helpers, and operators under permanent employment. A dedicated ₹600 crore welfare package was also unveiled to uplift sanitation workers, fulfilling a key Congress poll promise.

Ending Exploitation, Ensuring Dignity

At an event in Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds, CM Siddaramaiah highlighted the government’s efforts to eradicate contractor-led exploitation. “Earlier, workers earned just ₹7,000 monthly under intermediaries. We raised wages to ₹17,000 and ensured direct bank transfers. Now, permanent staff will receive ₹39,000,” he said. The move aims to eliminate wage theft and middlemen, a pledge Siddaramaiah first implemented during his 2013–18 tenure.

DCM Shivakumar echoed the sentiment, calling pourakarmikas “ambassadors of cleanliness and children of God.” He added, “Your role in making Bengaluru globally recognized is invaluable. Today, your children are hosting this event—we want them to rise to greater heights.”

Welfare Schemes and Global Opportunities

The government announced a slew of initiatives:

• Overseas Exposure: 1,000 workers will be sent abroad for training.

• Pension Plan: A ₹10 lakh corpus guarantees ₹6,000/month post-retirement.

• Housing & Health: 7.7 lakh homes built previously; health insurance covered in the 2024–25 budget.

• Documentation Helpdesks: Special booths to resolve pending regularization cases.

Shivakumar credited AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, a former labour minister, for pioneering ESI hospitals and medical colleges. “Kharge ji began as a municipal chairman—proof that no work is small,” he remarked.

Social Equality and Civic Responsibility

Invoking Basavanna’s “Kayakave Kailasa” (Work is Worship), Siddaramaiah emphasized dignity of labour: “Cleanliness is divine. Society must respect sanitation workers and join efforts to sustain hygiene.” The government also pledged educational support for workers’ children to mainstream their socio-economic progress.

Attendees: The event saw Kharge, ministers Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, MLAs, and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.