Over 1,500 take out protest march in Mandi

The Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Mandi District, held a protest march here today to demand the release of their dues pending for a long time.

Over 1,500 pensioners from 17 blocks of the district participated in the peaceful dharna. The main issues raised by them included release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears from 34 per cent to 42 per cent and the next installment from 42 per cent to 58 per cent.

The association also demanded immediate implementation of revised pay scales for employees, who retired between 2016 and 2022. They stated that despite waiting for many years, the affected pensioners have not received their rightful payments, which has caused anger and disappointment among them.

The pensioners’ association has given the government one month to act on these demands, warning that if no decision is taken by December 17, a more intense protest will follow after Pensioners’ Day.