Necessary frameworks to resolve majority of employees’ demands are already in administrative pipeline: Harpal Singh Cheema
CHANDIGARH: To resolve the pending concerns of state workers, Punjab Finance Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Sub Committee, Harpal Singh Cheema, held crucial meetings today with representatives from five Education Department unions, two Anganwadi unions, and one outsourced employee union.
During these sessions, the Finance Minister issued explicit directions to the Social Security Department to ensure at least ₹60 lakh life insurance for Anganwadi workers by tying up with the banks delivering their salaries. The comprehensive meetings underscored the state government’s dedication to engaging directly with its workforce and swiftly finding amicable solutions to their administrative and financial grievances.
During these productive meetings, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema sympathetically addressed the diverse concerns raised by the union leaders and reaffirmed the state government’s pro-employee stance. He assured the delegations, asserting, “We are highly attuned to your hardships. I want to confirm that the necessary frameworks to resolve the majority of your legitimate demands are already in the administrative pipeline.”
Providing a strong guarantee of forthcoming Action, the Finance Minister emphasised, “The Bhagwant Mann Government is working diligently to expedite these processes and deliver positive outcomes for all affected employees shortly.”
During the discussions, the five education sector associations comprising the Berozgar B.Ed. TET Pass Adhyapak Union, Berozgar PSTET Pass Art and Craft Sangharsh Union, Murh Bahal Kachhe Adhyapak Union, SSA/MDM Non-Teaching Employees Union Punjab, and Unaided Staff of Aided Schools Front, presented memorandums tightly focused on job security. Representing grassroots workers, the Anganwadi Mulazam Union Punjab (CITU) and Jujharu Anganwadi Worker/Helper Union Punjab advocated for elevated pay.
Furthermore, the Enlistment-Outsource Coordination Committee pressed for formal inclusion under the upcoming 2026 personnel bills, alongside guaranteed post-retirement benefits and fixed minimum wages.
During the meetings Jaswant Singh, Hardeep Singh, Avtar Singh from Berozgar B.Ed. TET Pass Adhyapak Union, Rakesh Kumar, Kiran Kaur and Harbans Singh from the Berozgar PSTET Pass Art and Craft Sangharsh Union, Vikas Sahni, Lakhwinder Kaur and Gurpreet Singh from the Murh Bahal Kachhe Adhyapak Union, Kuldeep Singh, Rajinder Singh Sandha and Jagmohan Singh from the SSA/MDM Non-Teaching Employees Union Punjab, Nirbhai Singh, Sukhchain Singh and Amandeep Kaur from the Unaided Staff of Aided Schools Front, Harjit Kaur Panjola, Amritsar Kaur and Subhash Rani from the Anganwadi Mulazam Union Punjab (CITU), Reema Rani and Shinderpal Kaur from Jujharu Anganwadi Worker/Helper Union, and Varinder Singh Momi, Ramandeep Singh, Pawandeep Singh, Sher Singh Khanna, and Lashman Singh from the Enlistment Outsource Coordination Committee raised their issues and demands.
