Scientists of the National Informatics Centre that manages government websites and provides technology support to departments have threatened to go on a nation-wide strike on August 23 if their long-pending demand for promotion is not met.
"We were to go on mass leave from August 10, but new Secretary (Aruna Sundarajan) requested us to postpone it till August 19. We have decided to go on agitation on August 23 if our demands are not met," AINOA President B N Shetty told PTI.
The All India NIC S&T Officers Association has been pressing for promotion for NIC staff most of whom have been working with the same designation for the last 10-11 years.
"Scientists are working with deep resentment and demotivation these days. AINOA was formed to take up their cause around two and a half years back. For the last three weeks, our members have been wearing black ribbon as token protest," Shetty said.
Of around 3,500 total NIC staffers, over 3,200 people are part of AINOA, he claimed.
AINOA has already written to Prime Minister's Office, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, seeking their intervention on the issue, he added.
