N.KARUNANIDHI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These writ petitioners have been appointed as Block Level Coordinator on various dates under the control of the Department of Rural Development. The duties attached to the Block Level Coordinators are coordinating of sanitary work in all the Block Development Units in the District concerned, creating awareness on sanitation, coordinating various voluntary organizations to conduct awareness programmes in the schools, coordinating with Poverty reduction committee to conduct awareness programmes about various schemes implemented by both the Central and State Governments. The duties include monitoring and overseeing of hundred day employment guarantee scheme.

(2.) These petitioners have been originally appointed in various projects introduced by the Central Government like Swachh Bharat Mission principally with a view to maintain clean and healthy environment. The Block Level Coordinators are appointed by the State Government and funded by both Central and State Governments towards payment of the consolidated salaries every month. Originally, consolidated amount of Rs.3,000.00 was paid to them, but progressively, the same was increased to Rs.8,000.00 as of now .

(3.) According to the petitioners, in terms of the Swachh Bharath Mission scheme, the State Government has an obligation to set up a Block Programme Management Unit which shall work as bridge between the District Experts and various other agencies to provide continuous support towards awareness generation, motivation, mobilisation, training and handling of village communities. The range of work entrusted to these Coordinators would engage them as a full time employee of Government, though they are employed only in projects. Several of the petitioners have been working for more than 10 years and some of them, 5 to 8 years continuously in various projects relating to the sanitation up keeping at the Block Levels in every District. Over a period of time, the Central Government has divested itself of the responsibility of funding the project and today, the responsibility is entirely entrusted to the State Government, which is in-charge of the projects and it is also the responsibility of the State Government not only funding the projects but also payment of monthly wages to the employees.