A statewide strike by government employees in Punjab affected the functioning of several government departments and outpatient department (OPD) services at government hospitals on Thursday.
The employees are pressing the AAP government to accept their long-pending demands, including the release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA).
More than 150 employee organisations under the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch joined the ‘Maha Hartal’. Punjab has around 3 lakh government employees and 3.50 lakh pensioners and according to employee organisations, OPD services in government hospitals remained suspended, except for emergency services.
At Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar, doctors held a demonstration in support of the demands. OPD services were suspended while emergency services continued.
In Hoshiarpur, OPD services at a government health facility were suspended from 8 am to 2 pm and the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association, representing government doctors, also supported the strike.
Employees said the strike covered the Civil Secretariat, directorates, Deputy Commissioner offices, SDM offices and Tehsil offices, along with departments including health, transport, revenue and education, however, state-owned bus services remained operational.
Employees said there would be no road blockades during the protest.
Their demands include release of 18 per cent pending DA, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual employees, minimum wages for workers including mid-day meal, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, restoration of the ACP scheme, and Punjab pay scales for employees recruited after July 17, 2020.
Employees alleged that DA instalments and arrears remained pending despite directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
A meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and employee representatives was scheduled for Thursday in Jalandhar to discuss their demands.
Senior Congress leader and Punjab Assembly Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa criticised the AAP government over the strike and said the Congress supports the employees and pensioners.
