DA news: Employees criticise transfer of key leader, BJP and Congress attack Punjab CM, govt may move SC—See top updates
Punjab government on 31 August, transferred Sukhchain Singh Khera, key member of the state employees’ protest, from the Punjab Civil Secretariat’s administrative branch to the planning branch in Sector 33 in Chandigarh, PTI reported.
The move comes after more than 3 lakh state employees participated in mass leave on 27 August to push for immediate clearance of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and other demands, in a strike that affected public services. Khera is a prominent leader of the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch, which spearheaded the state-wide, one-day mass leave protest last week, the report added.
Key demands, why timing of protests is significant
Key demands include — payment of pending 18% DA, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual employees, implementation of minimum wages for workers, including mid-day meal, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, restoration of the ACP scheme, and extension of Punjab pay scales to employees recruited after 17 July 2020.
More than 150 employees’ bodies presenting a combined front as the Manch, and over 3.50 lakh pensioners had participated in the “maha hartal”. This was among the biggest mobilisations yet against the ruling government and caused concern as the state assembly polls are due early next year.
Punjab employees protest: Check latest updates here
Here’s a look at all the latest updates amid a number of developments in the state related to the matter:
- Warring questioned the government’s inability to provide around ₹14,000 crore for employee-related dues, added that this money represented their “rightful due” rather than a concession, it added. He also criticised the state for paying ₹341 crore to consultants in connection with raising a ₹25,000-crore loan.
- The Punjab government may move the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order in the DA case, the ANI report said citing sources. The petition will likely come this week, sources added.
(With inputs from Agencies)
