Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Punjab government has initiated action against nearly 2,500 employees who were allegedly absent without authorisation during the statewide strike on August 27.
Department heads have been directed to issue show-cause notices and initiate disciplinary proceedings against employees found absent from duty, sources said.
More than three lakh government employees joined the strike, while several others took mass casual leave. The protest disrupted work across government departments and led to the suspension of outpatient services at several public hospitals.
advertisement
The employees are demanding the release of the pending 18 per cent dearness allowance, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme and regularisation of contractual workers.
Their other demands include minimum wages for mid-day meal, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, restoration of the Assured Career Progression scheme and Punjab pay scales for employees recruited after July 17, 2020.
GOVERNMENT SEEKS DETAILS OF ABSENTEES
The personnel department had earlier directed all administrative secretaries and department heads to compile lists of employees who remained absent and submit them to the Department of General Administration.
“Complaints have been received from various quarters in the public that they have been put to a lot of inconvenience because of officials not being on duty in their respective government offices,” the government communication said.
Sources said nearly 2,500 employees have been identified as having remained absent without authorisation. The government has now asked the respective departments to begin action against them under applicable service rules.
SERVICES HIT ACROSS PUNJAB
Over 150 employee bodies under the banner of the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch participated in the “maha hartal”. More than 3.5 lakh pensioners also supported the protest.
Government offices across Punjab either remained deserted or recorded thin attendance. Employees staged demonstrations at district headquarters and raised slogans against the Bhagwant Mann government.
OPD services were suspended at several government hospitals, although emergency, maternity, medico-legal and inpatient services continued.
Elective surgeries were postponed at some hospitals. Government schools and colleges in parts of Hoshiarpur also reported disruptions as teachers and clerical employees went on mass casual leave.
Employees from the education, health, irrigation, public works, agriculture, excise, treasury and water supply departments were among those who joined the protest. Demonstrations were also held in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Phagwara and Jalandhar.
TALKS CANCELLED OVER STRIKE
A scheduled meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives of the employee bodies in Jalandhar was cancelled after Mann said talks could be held only after the strike was withdrawn.
The employee bodies refused to call off their protest and sought an unconditional meeting with the chief minister.
“Employees are an important part of our family and we are ready to listen to every legitimate concern they have. But dialogue and strike cannot proceed together,” Mann said in a post on X.
The chief minister also claimed that Punjab government employees were among the highest-paid government workers in the country.
However, Opposition parties, including the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal, backed the protesters and accused the AAP government of failing to address their demands.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
