Ministerial staff members want implementation of 6th pay panel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 17

Members of the Punjab State Ministerial Service Union staged a protest, demanding implementation of recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission and the revival of old pension scheme.

The protesters suspended work and also observed a hunger strike to express their resentment against the administration and the state government. They raised slogans against the government and demanded early implementation of their long-pending demands.

State president of the union Megh Singh Sidhu said the government should immediately release the last three instalments of dearness allowance and other pending dues.

The union members said implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, restoration of old pension scheme for those recruited after 2004, treatment of probation period as qualifying service, implementation of the ‘same work, same wages’ rule, withdrawal of Rs200 development tax, implementation of cashless health scheme and regularisation of contractual employees must be done on a priority basis by the state government.

Addressing the protesters, Megh Singh Sidhu said the state government had conceded to their demands on March 10 and had promised to implement the same, once the model code of conduct came to an end. However, around six months had passed and the government had failed to implement its promises, he said.