MOHALI: With the ending of 10-day ultimatum to the Punjab government for upgrading the pay scale of Veterinary Officers equivalent to the medical officers, the State executive of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Vets for pay-parity held a meeting, here today, wherein it was decided to intensify the struggle further.
In first place district-level protests would be held on 29th July outside the Deputy Director, Animal husbandary offices across Punjab, The Veterinary officers of the Animal Husbandry Department, along with senior veterinary officers, assistant directors, deputy directors and retired Veterinarians will participate in these protests.
Speaking on the occasion, the JAC Convener Dr. Gurcharan Singh said that the government is not serious about restoring the pay parity of veterinary officers, but is using delaying tactics. He further said that on one hand, the Chief Minister of the state, Bhagwant Singh Mann, is eulogising the invaluable contribution being made by veterinary doctors abroad in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, but on the other hand, the state government is metting step motherly treatment to veterinary officers in Punjab. This was the reason of Vets migrating to foreign countries.
The Co-conveners Dr. Puneet Malhotra and Dr. Abdul Mazid said that all state governments including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi government, Central government, Rajasthan, Odisha are giving veterinary officers a scale of Rs 56100 at par with medical officers, but in 2021, the Finance Department of the Punjab ignoring the judgement of Hon'ble High Court and the Apex Court, had disturbed the pay parity of Vets with Medicos that had been in place for over 42 years with the result the scale of veterinary officers was reduced from 56100 to 47600. Apart from this, the cases of DACP of 4, 9, 14 years are also not being approved by the government, due to which the veterinary officers have to bear huge financial losses, causing intense resentment & unrest amongst the Vet community.
The State Media Incharge of Joint Action Committee Dr. Gurinder Singh Walia said that veterinary officers have been protesting against the government for the last four and a half years for the restoration of pay parity with medical officers, which has been going on for more than 42 years.
Dr. Gurinder Singh Walia, State Media Head, 79739 88394
Dr. Abdul Majeed, 9815254200