IEP Chandigarh, April 06
Reiterating the commitment of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government towards the welfare of its employees, Finance, Planning Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee and Sub-Committee of Officers constituted to draft standard operating procedure for the implementation of old pension scheme will introduce such an excellent pension model for Punjab government employees that would be followed by the governments of other states also. During a meeting with the Pension Bahali Sangharsh Committee (Old Pension Restoration Struggle Committee) held here at Punjab Bhavan, Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee and Chief Secretary led Sub-Committee of were holding regular meetings to prepare such a pension model that would be reasonable as well as securing the future of the Punjab Government employees. He said that during these meetings, the procedures adopted by some other states to restore the old pension were also being studied. Welcoming the suggestions given by the Sangharsh Committee during the meeting, the Finance Minister said that he would put these suggestions before the Cabinet Sub-Committee during its next meeting so that the necessary decision in this regard could be taken at the earliest. He said that the present Punjab government is of the opinion that its employees should have a secure and prosperous post-retirement life. Later, during a meeting with the Punjab State Aided Schools Teachers and Other Employees Union, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told the union that their demands regarding 6th pay commission and inter-management transfer of the employees working in the aided schools are being considered seriously. He asked the officials of the school education department to send the proposal regarding the 6th pay commission to the finance department and to submit the report regarding necessary measures required to implement inter-management transfers during the next meeting. Meanwhile, during a meeting with the Old Pay Scale Restoration Joint Front, the finance minister asked the officials of the finance department to hold a meeting with the front and prepare a report on the financial burden of their demands. The finance minister assured the Employees’ associations that the policies and intentions of the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are absolutely transparent and clear. He said that the government has started action from the very first day of its term and has been constantly taking the concrete decisions. He said that special cabinet sub-committees have been constituted to remove all the barriers in the way of implementation of these pro people decisions.
