Pen-down strike by staff halts work at Fard Kendras in Punjab

All Fard Kendras (Land Record Facilitation Centres) across Punjab have come to a standstill as the staff launched an indefinite pen-down strike starting today. The protest has caused significant disruption in public services, leaving citizens grappling with delays and inconvenience in accessing essential land record documentation.

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A delegation of Fard Kendra staff from Phagwara, led by Sandeep Kaur, met Naib Tehsildar Gurcharan Kaler and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Tehsildar. In the letter, employees expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the state government’s “apathetic attitude” towards their longstanding demands and job security.

Speaking to the media, Fard Kendra employees—including Sandeep Kaur, Babandeep Kaur, Gurinder Singh, Harjit Singh, Jyoti and Kaushalya—highlighted that over 900 employees, including district managers, operators and engineers, have been working in these centres for the past 18 years. They claim to have digitalised land records across Punjab, often under difficult conditions and for meagre salaries, especially in remote areas.

The staff alleged that despite years of dedicated service—including working overtime during the land mutation season, election duties and even during the Covid-19 pandemic—they are now being pushed towards unemployment. “We were promised that our services would not be terminated. But now, the government is preparing to shut down our roles without offering any alternative employment,” one employee said.

The employees also raised the issue of unpaid salaries for April and May 2025. When questioned, officials from CMS Computers Ltd—the company contracted to manage Fard Kendras—revealed that the contract expired on October 31, 2024, and has not yet been renewed by the government. Furthermore, no payments have been released to the company, making it impossible for them to disburse staff salaries.

They also pointed out that nearly 60 per cent of the current staff is over the age limit for alternative employment, making their future uncertain. “On the one hand, the government claims to be creating employment, and on the other, it’s rendering around 900 employees jobless,” they added.

The striking staff emphasised that their protest will remain peaceful and that they will continue to sit in their offices without resuming work until the government provides clarity and assurance about their future. They also appealed to the state administration to either reinstate their services or absorb them into other suitable roles if the Fard Kendras are to be restructured.