Punjab: Bhagwant Mann Government Stays Silent Amid Ministerial Staff Strike, Puts Salaries Of 2 Lakh Employees In Jeopardy

The ongoing strike by ministerial staff from over 50 government departments in Punjab, now extended until 6 December, poses a serious threat to the timely disbursal of salaries for more than 2 lakh government employees in the state.

While the Chandigarh secretariat remains unaffected, the striking employees demand the reinstatement of the old pension scheme, the release of three pending dearness allowance instalments, and the regularisation of contractual employees.

As reported by Indian Express, Amrik Singh Sandhu, president of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, highlighted that salaries for November will not be released due to the strike.

The usual salary disbursal on the first of the month will be impacted, affecting employees across various government departments, including officers, deputy commissioners, and others.

Additionally, the strike is causing disruptions in public dealings, as many works are interconnected.

The strike, involving approximately 50,000 staff, has also led to a reduction in office footfall.

Despite repeated meetings between deputy commissioners and local union members, there has been no communication from the Chief Minister or his office, leaving the situation unresolved.