Delhi: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta on Monday met Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Pankaj Jain in Delhi and brought to his notice the long pending concerns of employees of Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) at the Mangalore facility.
In his letter regarding the issue, he highlighted the urgent need for a structured Human Resources (HR) policy and the difficulties faced by the employees for the last 8 years due to the lack of one.
“Concerns of people especially at such strategically important institutions should be resolved on priority basis. Our govt led by PM Narendra Modi has always prioritised the welfare of people as we saw in the quick and positive response we previously received that solved the GMPL issue. I am positive about the resolution of this issue too at the earliest” said Captain Brijesh Chowta.
For over eight years, ISPRL employees, including those from Project Displaced Families (PDFs), have faced multiple challenges due to the lack of a formal HR policy.
The letter highlights the following concerns:
Unequal Pay and Allowances – Employees recruited directly by ISPRL receive significantly lower salaries and benefits compared to officers on deputation from Oil PSUs, who enjoy allowances aligned with their parent organizations.
Lack of Career Progression – Many employees have been in the same grade for over five years without a promotion policy, leading to stagnation.
Disparities in Working Conditions – ISPRL employees at Mangalore work six days a week, while deputed officers at ISPRL’s Noida headquarters follow a five-day workweek.
Inadequate Medical and Welfare Benefits – Employees handling hazardous hydrocarbons lack proper medical coverage, Provident Fund (PF), gratuity, shift allowances, and accident compensation.
Extended Training Periods for PDFs – Unlike other industries where training lasts one year, PDFs at ISPRL undergo two years of training without justification, affecting their career growth.
Seeking his urgent intervention to resolve this long pending issue, Captain Brijesh Chowta also urged for the provision of interim relief in terms of salaryparity, allowances, and career progression opportunities for affected employees.