Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who heads the Cabinet Sub-Committee formed to address employee issues, on Tuesday held a series of meetings with representatives of various employee unions to discuss their pending demands and grievances.
Reiterating the Bhagwant Mann government's commitment to employee welfare, Cheema assured the unions that their concerns were being examined seriously and would be resolved in a fair and time-bound manner.
The meetings focused on key issues related to recruitment, promotions, regularisation, pay scales and service conditions in the education, healthcare and forestry sectors.
Representatives of the Berozgar Special Educator Front Punjab urged the government to expedite the recruitment of 1,200 Special Education Teachers in 2026. Meanwhile, the Punjab Education Department Ministerial Staff Association sought a one-time relaxation in experience requirements for Superintendent promotions, restoration of abolished posts, promotion of Junior Assistants at a 50% ratio, and extension of State Awards to ministerial staff on par with teaching employees.
Cheema also held discussions with the Novel Integrated Association of Community Health Officers (NIACHO), which raised issues related to pay scales, loyalty bonuses and regularisation of services.
The Democratic Janglat Mulazam Union Punjab thanked the state government for regularising many employees while urging the government to regularise the remaining temporary and contractual forestry workers and address concerns related to pay and retirement benefits.
Later, during a meeting with the Joint Association of Independent Medical Laboratory & Allied Professionals (JAI MLAP), the Finance Minister said that the association's major demands were already under active consideration and the resolution process was underway.
Addressing the unions, Cheema said all memorandums submitted during the meetings were receiving serious attention from the Cabinet Sub-Committee to ensure prompt, fair and favourable decisions on genuine employee demands.
Representatives from all participating unions, including education, healthcare, forestry and laboratory professionals, attended the meetings and presented their respective concerns before the minister.
