Govt staff annoyed over cabinet ranks to MLAs

Tribune News Service 
Amritsar, September 11

The state government has come under an attack not only from the Opposition, but it has also drawn flak from the government as well as contractual employees of various departments for giving cabinet rank to its six MLAs. 

Employees in many departments, including government educational institutes, have not been receiving salaries for want of funds. 

Former minister and veteran leader of the BJP Laxmi Kanta Chawla said the government had morally stooped so low to adjust their MLAs while completely ignoring the plight of contractual employees, from whose salaries the government was withdrawing money in the name of professional tax. She said Punjab Government had been citing reason of empty coffers for delaying salaries and even levied Rs 200 as professional tax from government employees. Contractual employees were facing innumerable hardships in their lives due to low salaries, she said. “These MLAs will get various pay and perks from the government and government accommodations. What is the fault of common people, who are being forced to live in pitiable conditions due to the wrong policies of the government,” the former minister said. The government should decrease salaries and pension of political leaders.” 

Jagdish Thakur, general secretary of Punjab State Ministerial Association, said giving cabinet minister ranks to close MLAs meant government was in a sound financial condition. Therefore, it should also consider implementing 6th Pay Commission recommendations.

A government school teacher preferring anonymity said their plight was that their salaries usually got delayed. The plight of contractual teachers is worst. “It shows that governments in power hardly bothered about its employees. The salaries and pension of MLAs get increased every now and then while employees have to struggle for their genuine rights,” he said.