Amarinder urges employees to end stir

With Punjab government employees on strike in support of their demands, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday promised employees that his government would implement the decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers on Employees' Issues in letter and spirit.

Amarinder urged the striking government employees, who went on strike on Thursday, to resume duties immediately in the interests of the people of the state.

The Chief Minister reviewed the decisions taken by the committee, comprising Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and reiterated the state government's commitment to protect their interests and welfare.

"The Chief Minister made it clear after the review meeting that the decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers shall be implemented in a time-bound manner and urged the employees to end their strike immediately and work with diligence in the interest of the people of Punjab," said Chief Minister's Media Advisor Raveen Thukral .

Amarinder clarified that despite the financial constraints of the state government, 7 per cent dearness allowance had been released to all employees from February 1, as decided by the Committee of Ministers after a meeting with the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union on February 27.

Thukral said the balance of the DA and its arrears will be released in due course as and when the financial position of the state government improves further.

The striking employees are demanding rollback of the Punjab government's decision to delink DA, reducing the probation period from three years to two years, including the probation period for ascertaining seniority and pension of the staff, restoration of old pension scheme and regularizing services of temporary and ad hoc employees.

--IANS

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