Chandigarh: The Punjab government’s administrative functioning ground to a near-halt on Tuesday as secretarial, directorate, deputy commissioner, and tehsil office staff took a collective one-day mass casual leave, demanding the immediate release of ₹ 14,191 crore in pending dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) arrears accumulated over several years.
Protesting outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh, workers raised slogans against the state government for ignoring their financial grievances. Subsequent talks broke down when chief minister Bhagwant Mann refused to meet union leaders in Jalandhar unless they called off the strike unconditionally. Arora urged staff not to become political tools or cause public hardship, warning that unlawful disruption would trigger disciplinary action. They maintained that essential public operations remain unaffected. the meeting did not materialise While union representatives were called to Jalandhar to meet chief minister Bhagwant Mann. Following this, a three-member cabinet sub-committee comprising finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, industries and commerce minister Aman Arora, and social security minister Baljit Kaur convened talks with employee representatives.
this marks the second state-wide shutdown in 10 days While hospital and transport workers exempted themselves to maintain essential services. The unrest began on August 27 with an initial mass leave. In response, over 150 unions operating under the Sanjha Mulazim Manch umbrella escalated their agitation. Though a cabinet sub-committee, comprising Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora, and Baljit Kaur, convened talks last week—leading to a state announcement matching the central government’s 60% DA rate—employees insisted on full settlement of arrears in line with an August 3 Punjab and Haryana high court ruling. The high court had ordered the state to clear all ₹ 14,191 crore in pending dues within 14 days at a 6% simple interest penalty, while quashing the state’s proposed five-year phased payout plan. The state government has appealed against the high court verdict before the apex court, arguing that releasing ₹ 14,191 crore in a fortnight without legislative sanction from the consolidated fund is constitutionally impossible and would collapse public welfare spending. Union leaders, however, said that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and demanded the withdrawal of show-cause notices issued over the August 27 strike before further talks. Earlier reporting noted: The standoff began on August 27 when the government staff observed ‘maha hartal’. The state subsequently announced a DA hike to 60% for around 85,000 employees recruited after July 17, 2020, matching central government pay scales.
Earlier reporting noted: According to Secretariat Employees Union general secretary Sahil Sharma, employees across the civil and mini-secretariats in Chandigarh, district deputy commissioner offices, tehsil complexes, and departmental directorates will abstain from duty. On Monday night, state industries and commerce minister Aman Arora termed the strike illegal, stating that the DA dispute remains sub judice in the Supreme Court. Earlier reporting noted: Punjab secretarial staff on casual leave today; strike illegal as matter sub judice, says Arora The Punjab government secretarial staff will proceed on a one-day mass casual leave on Tuesday as part of the agitation over pending dearness allowance arrears even as minister Aman Arora termed the strike illegal, saying the matter was subjudice.
