Employees take to streets for CPF

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 21

Demanding release of contributory provident fund, members of the CPF Employees’ Union took out a protest march here on Thursday. They also sat on an indefinite dharna. Scores of protesters gathered near Children Park and raised slogans against the state government.

Employees from 45 different unions and government departments, including education, food supply, health and DC office, took part in the protest. They were also demanding the revival of the old pension scheme that was discontinued by the previous government.

Representatives of the union threatened to continue their protest for an indefinite period if the government did not fulfil their demands.

Raising slogans against the government, the protesters started their march from Children Park and after passing through Fauji Chowk and Hanuman Chowk, they reached near the office of Finance Minister Manpreet Badal near the multipurpose stadium where they were stopped by police personnel.

As an anticipatory measure, police personnel in large numbers were deployed in front of the Finance Minister’s office.

After being stopped, a number of protesters sat on a dharna following which cops detained and took them in buses only to be released near Children Park.

Sukhjit Singh, president of the union, said, “If the government does not provide the benefits of the new pension scheme implemented in January 2004 to us, we will hold protests for an indefinite period. The state government had discontinued the old scheme of the GPF for the employees who were recruited after this date and introduced the new CPF scheme, but benefits under this scheme were not given.”

“During the elections, the Congress government had promised with the union that if it came to power, the government would revive the old pension scheme on a priority basis. But it is very sad that till date, no action has been taken on this issue. The state government has adopted the tactics of excuses over the revival of the new pension scheme,” he added.

He said the state government had not released their gratuity.