The North News
Chandigarh, January 5
Punjab’s Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has said the state government is committed to resolving legitimate demands raised by employees, adding that many long-pending issues — including those affecting contractual staff — have already been settled. Cheema said the remaining demands were under active consideration under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The remarks came during a high-level meeting at the Punjab Secretariat, where the minister reviewed matters related to the education department and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Senior officials, including Secretary Expenditure Dr V N Zade, Secretary Education Anindita Mitra, Special Secretary Personnel Upkar Singh, Special Secretary Finance Ajay Arora and the university’s vice-chancellor Dr Jatinder Paul Singh Gill, attended the discussions.
Cheema also met representatives of the ex-employees’ wing of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab and the ETT TET Pass Teachers Association (Jai Singh Wala). He assured the teachers’ body that its valid concerns were being processed, while advising that future meetings involving senior officers should include broader representation to enable more comprehensive discussions.
Addressing leaders of the ex-employees’ wing, the Finance Minister directed the finance department and other concerned departments to take necessary action on the issues raised. He said the Mann-led government remained “pro-employee” and focused on providing a stable and supportive working environment for public servants.
Representatives present included ex-employees’ wing president Gurmail Singh Sidhu, district secretary Khushwinder Kapila, adviser Darshan Singh, Makhan Singh and Gurdev Singh Patiala, along with Kamal Thakur, president of the ETT TET Pass Teachers Association.
