CM Promises Implementation of Ministers’ Committee Decisions on Govt Employees

Appeals to resume duties immediately

Chandigarh, March 8 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Promising to implement the decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers on Employees’ Issues in letter and in spirit, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday night appealed to the striking government employees 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 all employees of the Government of Punjab, with the aim to protect their interests and welfare.

          According to the Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral, 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 give up their strike immediately and work with diligence in the interest of the people of Punjab.

          Captain Amarinder clarified that despite the financial constraints of the State Government, 7 percent DA had been released to all employees w.e.f February 1, 2019, as decided by the Committee of Ministers after a meeting with the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union on 27.2.2019.

          Further, 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, said the Chief Minister, assuring all Punjab Government employees that their welfare was top highest priority for his government. The Chief Minister lamented that the State Government had not been able to meet some of its financial commitments to employees due to the legacy of high debt it had inherited from the previous regime.

          Further, it was decided that a Committee headed by Shri DP Reddy, IAS (Retd) former Principal Secretary (Finance) along with Secretary Personnel and Secretary Expenditure shall look into the New Pension Scheme that was implemented for employees recruited after 1.1.2004, said Thukral.

          The Finance Department, it may be recalled, had issued a notification on 5.3.2019 to release DA at 7 percent with effect from 1.2.2019.