Members of the Karnataka State Government Hostels’ and Residential Schools’ Contract Workers’ Association staged a protest outside the Zilla Panchayat office in Kalaburagi city on Thursday, demanding immediate implementation of government-notified minimum wages for contract employees working in hostels and residential schools across the district.

Addressing the protesters, State president Bheemshetty Yempalli alleged that despite continuous representations and protests, the authorities have failed to implement minimum wages for contract workers due to negligence and administrative apathy.

He said contract employees working in hostels under the Backward Classes Welfare Department have been paid wages as per the revised minimum wage notification for May, June and July 2026, while workers under the Minority Welfare Department have received revised wages for June. However, contract employees serving in hostels under the Social Welfare Department and Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) institutions, including Morarji Desai, Kittur Rani Chennamma, Indira Gandhi and Ekalavya residential schools, are yet to receive minimum wages and have not been paid salaries for the past three months.

Mr. Yempalli alleged that corruption in the processing of contract workers’ salary bills at the district treasury has delayed wage disbursement. He demanded a thorough inquiry into the alleged irregularities and disciplinary action against officials found responsible. He also urged the government to ensure a weekly holiday for hostel employees, alleging that repeated demands have been ignored by the authorities.

Claiming that irregularities and corruption had taken place during the recruitment of contract workers in the Social Welfare and Minority Welfare Departments, the association members demanded that a meeting be convened under the chairmanship of the district administration to discuss and resolve the issues affecting contract employees.

The protesters appealed to the State government to intervene immediately, clear pending salaries, implement minimum wages uniformly across all departments, and address the grievances of hostel and residential school contract workers without any delay.