Pensioners, employees to attend Mohali rally in large numbers

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 10

Various pensioners and employees’ organisations of the state are going to hold a massive rally in Chandigarh on February 13 against the failure of the state government in fulfilling various long pending demands of pensioners and employees.

The rally is being organised by the Joint Action Committee of various organisations of pensioners and employees of Punjab and UT at Dasehra Ground in Phase 8, Mohali.

A meeting of various pensioners and employee organisations was held at Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru Bhawan on Sunday to discuss the strategy for the rally. A large number of pensioners and employees of various departments took part in the meeting. DP Maur of PAU Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Association asked employees and pensioners to attend the Mohali rally in large numbers to put pressure on the state government.

Maur said before coming to power, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh made tall claims that he would fulfil all demands of pensioners and employees after forming the government. “It is unfortunate that the present Congress government has failed to meet the demands of employees and pensioners two years after coming to power. Despite the court rulings in several cases, the state government has not been fulfilling demands of employees and pensioners,” said Maur.

The main demands include release of DA instalments of July and January, implementation of pay commission report and regularisation of all ad hoc, contractual, part-time employees and implementation of equal work equal pay verdict of the Supreme Court.

Gurmail Singh Mailde of Punjab Pensioners’ Association said it was very unfortunate that the government had been continually ignoring the long pending demands of pensioners, who gave several years of their lives while serving the state. “On the one hand the state government has not been releasing the DA and other benefits to pensioners on account of lack of funds, while on the other hand, it has increased salaries of its ministers and MLAs. It is the duty of the government to arrange funds to provide benefits to its employees,” said Mailde.

They said a large number of pensioners and employees from PAU, MC, Punjab Roadways, Mid Day Meal workers, Asha Workers would take part in the rally.