Ministerial staffers extend strike, visitors left in the lurch
Ministerial staffers are observing a pen-down strike against the Punjab government since October 10 demanding implementation of the Old Pension Scheme in the state, payment of DA arrears
With ministerial staffers extending their pen-down strike till October 19, a number of public services at over 40 different departments remained suspended throughout the day causing harassment to the visitors.
The ministerial staffers are observing a pen-down strike against the Punjab government since October 10 demanding implementation of the Old Pension Scheme in the state, payment of DA arrears, implementation of the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission and the regularisation of contractual staff. Hundreds of ministerial employees staged a protest outside the district treasury office under the banner of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union on Monday.
A number of visitors who were awaiting last week’s strike to end were a harried lot on Monday as well, as the strike continued. Prabhjot Kaur, a resident of Doraha, said “It is the third time I am visiting the district commissioner’s office for submitting a document but I have been told to visit again on Thursday.”
Manoj Kumar, who visited the district transport office, said, “I need to get information regarding my vehicle’s RC which has not been dispatched yet but the office I was directed to is locked from the outside.”
“I took a leave from work to visit here. The government staffers are there to serve the public as they are getting salaries from taxes paid by the public. They should find some other way to put their demands in front of the government which does not affect the common man,” he added.
Surjit Singh, who visited the district education office, said as government offices will remain closed for at least three days next week due to festivals, people are left in the lurch.
Amit Arora, additional secretary general of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, said, “We have presented our demands to the government in the last six months yet the government is not giving us time to discuss our issues which is why our union has decided to extend the strike.”
He said, “Before making promises during the elections in Gujarat and Himachal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) should fulfil the promises they made to government employees in Punjab.” He said that the decision to extend the strike further will be taken by the state-level leadership.
