Employee unions from various government departments, under the banner of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), have announced a protest outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat on July 9, stepping up pressure on the government over a series of long pending demands.
The employees are demanding the immediate release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) installments and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). They have also sought the revival of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme and enhanced pension benefits through a 2.59 fitment factor.
The unions are also demanding the payment of full salary during the probation period, minimum wages for honorarium-based workers and the regularisation of contractual employees with higher salaries and improved service conditions. They have also called for the withdrawal of the Rs 200 professional tax, arguing that it places an unnecessary financial burden on government employees.
As part of the protest, the employees will submit a warning memorandum to the Cabinet Minister, urging the government to resolve the pending issues without further delay.
The decision to hold the demonstration was taken at a meeting of the JCC following a state-level call after the government allegedly failed to address the employees’ concerns.
Leaders of the JCC said government employees have been waiting for these demands to be addressed for years. They warned that if the government continues to delay it, the agitation will be intensified and employees will campaign against the ruling party in the next Assembly elections.
