Praja Palana data entry operators not paid yet

The operators were engaged to digitize 2.83 lakh applications received from the public to extend benefits of six guarantees under Abhaya Hastam during the eight-day Praja Palana programme held in the district.

Mancherial: Around 2,000 data entry operators from both private companies and government departments, who were engaged in computerisation of applications of the Praja Palana programme in Mancherial district, are still waiting to receive their wages for a month.

The operators were engaged to digitize 2.83 lakh applications received from the public to extend benefits of six guarantees under Abhaya Hastam during the eight-day Praja Palana programme held in the district. They were engaged by seven municipalities and gram panchayats of the district to carry out the job by promising to pay Rs.15 per application on a daily basis.

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As many as 1,702 special counters were created to collect the applications in the district. Mancherial municipality registered 30,891 applications, while Naspur civic body appeared in the second spot with 19,948 applications. Bellampalli municipality saw 17,559 applications, followed by Mandamarri municipality which recorded 15,545 applications. In rural parts, Jannaram mandal topped with receiving 21,020 applications and mandamarri mandal had 5,075 applications.

The operators were trained before being involved in the task of computerisation of the applications. The operators computerised the applications from January from January 8 to 18. However, they were not paid their wages so far, with the operators now approaching the municipalities and rural civic bodies seeking their wages.
“I spent more money hiring auto-rickshaws to reach the municipality than I was going to earn through data entry,” Kamboju Ajay, an operator from Mancherial town regretted. He said he was fed up with the delay in getting the remuneration.

Officials of Panchayat Raj department said a bill of Rs.28 lakh meant for salaries of the operators was already submitted to the government. They stated that the wages would be paid as soon as funds were released. They, however, added they were expecting the funds would be sanctioned in a week or two, depending on availability of funds.