North News
Chandigarh, January 7
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema engaged with various unions on Monday to address their demands, taking proactive steps towards resolving their concerns. Cheema met with representatives from the Powercom and Transco Theka Mulazm Union, Computer Adhiyapak Bhukh Hartal Sangharsh Committee, Computer Adhiyapak Union, Berujgar Sanjha Morcha, and Bharat Netraheen Sewak Samaj.
During a discussion with Bharat Netraheen Sewak Samaj, Cheema directed the Social Security, Women and Child Development Department to explore the possibility of opening a new school for the visually impaired in Punjab. He also requested a review of staff requirements at the existing school in Jamalpur, Ludhiana, and called for a report to be submitted to the Finance Department for necessary budget allocations for FY 2025-26.
The Powercom and Transco Contract Employees Union raised issues concerning employees working on outsourced contracts in PSPCL and PSTCL. Cheema instructed the Power Department to convene a meeting with union representatives to address their concerns, with a commitment to bring the discussion to the next Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting.
Cheema also met with the Computer Teachers Hunger Strike Sangharsh Committee and Computer Teachers Union, assuring the union leaders that their demands for dearness allowance and other legitimate requests were under active consideration.
Additionally, the Berujgar Sanjha Morcha raised concerns about vacant positions in the Education and Health Departments and requested age-limit relaxations for recruitment. The Finance Minister directed the Education Department to meet with legal experts and the union to evaluate the legal feasibility of these demands.
The meetings were attended by various union leaders, including Balihar Singh, Tek Chand, Sher Singh, Paramveer Singh, Pradeep Kumar, Gurvinder Singh, Anil Airy, Harpreet Singh, Jaswant Singh Ghubaya, Raman Kumar Malout, Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan, and others representing the unions.
