Garhshankar (Hari Krishan Gangar):- A meeting of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation (PSSF) and Pensioner Welfare Association, Garhshankar Block Unit, was held at Gandhi Park, Garhshankar, under the chairmanship of Sham Sunder Kapoor. Federation state leaders Makhan Singh Wahidpuri and Jathedar Amrik Singh were specially present at the meeting. At the outset, happiness was expressed over the election of former teachers’ leader Shri Surjit Singh as a member of the Senate of Panjab University.
Regarding the decisions taken at the meeting, Chaudhary Jeet Bagwain and colleague Balwant Ram said that strong opposition would be registered against the Punjab Government’s decision to delink the DA of employees and pensioners from the Centre and against the conspiracies being carried out against employees and pensioners. Employees and pensioners will continue their struggle for the achievement of their legitimate demands. A large number of employees and pensioners from Garhshankar Block will participate in the mega rally to be held in Sangrur on October 10 by the Coordination Committee based on the Punjab Employees and Pensioners Front and the Sanjha Mulazim Manch. Vehicles for the rally will depart at 7 a.m. from near the Forest Department office at the court complex. Teams have been formed for publicity and collection of funds for the rally, which will visit every office and school to convey the message of the rally. The leaders said that, contrary to the promises made by the Punjab Government, not even a single demand of Punjab’s employees and pensioners had been properly implemented. Instead, false propaganda was carried out against employees and pensioners demanding their rights, claiming that they were drawing higher salaries and pensions. This has caused widespread resentment against the government among this section, which will be expressed in the upcoming elections, and the Aam Aadmi Party will be made to taste defeat. Regarding their demands, the leaders said that all categories of contractual employees should be regularised, the old pension scheme should be restored, pending instalments of DA should be paid immediately in cash, honorarium workers should be brought under the ambit of minimum wages, the allowances that have been discontinued should be restored, the 2.59 multiplication factor should be implemented for pensioners, vacant posts in all departments should be filled immediately, and rising inflation should be brought under control. They appealed to the employees and pensioners of Garhshankar to participate in large numbers in the rally. Those present at the meeting included Sharmila Rani from the Istri Mulazim Talmel Committee, Pawan Kumar Goel from the Government Teachers’ Union, Pawan Kumar Garhi from the Forest Workers’ Union, Jagdish Pakhowal and Vinod Rana from the PWD Union, Chanan Ram Thandi, Gurnam Singh Hajipur, Ramesh Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, Ramandeep from the Water Resources Union, Harjinder Singh Suni and Omesh Kumar, and Mehinga Ram and Joginder Singh Heer from the Pensioner Welfare Association.
