Rs 200 State Development Tax on contract workers unjust: Khaira

Senior Congress leader and MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, today condemned the Punjab Government for burdening contractual and low-paid employees by deducting Rs 200 annually from their already meagre salaries under the State Development Tax.

Khaira termed the move as “insensitive, unjust and anti-employee,” stating that contractual workers across departments are already struggling with low wages, job insecurity and lack of basic service benefits. “Instead of regularising their services and improving their financial condition, the government has chosen to further squeeze them by imposing additional deductions,” he said.

He pointed out that thousands of contractual, outsourced and temporary employees in Punjab are surviving on minimal salaries, often below a dignified living standard. “For a government that claims to stand with the common man, targeting the weakest section of its workforce for revenue collection is highly condemnable,” Khaira added.

The Bholath MLA said the State Development Tax may appear small on paper, but for employees earning modest monthly wages, every rupee matters. He further questioned the government’s priorities, asking why financial burdens are repeatedly being shifted onto ordinary employees instead of improving fiscal management and curbing wasteful expenditure.

Khaira urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and their leadership to first cut down on their extravagant lifestyles, VIP culture, publicity-driven spending and other avoidable expenses. He said the government must focus on plugging leakage, negative corruption and wasteful expenditure instead of burdening employees at the lowest rung of the administrative structure.

Khaira demanded that the Punjab Government immediately withdraw the deduction of State Development Tax from contractual and low-income employees and instead provide relief measures, including job security, fair wages and social protection.

“Contractual employees are the backbone of many government services. Penalising them financially reflects administrative apathy and disregard for their hardships,” he said.

Khaira also assured contractual employees that he would raise the issue at all appropriate forums and continue to fight for their rights and financial dignity.