Patiala: Powercom engineers threaten agitation

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Patiala, May 14

The PSEB Engineers Association has threatened that it will resort to an agitation if no action is taken to resolve the issue of lesser pay scale to newly recruited engineers.

Its general secretary, Ajay Pal Singh Atwal, said newly recruited engineers had been denied proper pay scale as per the existing pattern. “Such action is a blatant assault on the dignity of the engineering cadre and a calculated effort to cause discord and industrial unrest within the power sector,” he stated.

Atwal said the assistant engineers recruited by the erstwhile PSEB were allowed higher scales than their counterparts in the Punjab Government and the differential had always been maintained given the very odious nature of the duty of power engineers. “Unfortunately, the PSPCL and the PSTCL have been directed to pay less pay of Rs 47,600 per month,” he added.

The letter mentions that it is for the record that the PSPCL and the PSTCL have been directed to pay less pay to new assistant engineers (AEs). “As per the 6th Punjab Pay Commission, AEs (OT) were getting a scale corresponding to the pay band level 10 and also an additional edge over the Punjab Government cadres as per the prevailing practice. But now, the pay of AE (OT) has been reduced to pay band level 8 of the 7th Central Pay Commission and this is much below the existing scales,” he stated.

“Moreover, the government has taken no decision regarding pay anomalies, pending arrears against pay scales, pending DA and the old pension scheme. The association has asked the management to take up these serious issues with the Punjab Government in a time-bound manner,” said Atwal.