UT Vets getting entry pay of 56, 100, Punjab 47, 600 is against principle of 'equal pay for equal work'
MOHALI: The Punjab Senior Vets Association, in a meeting held here today, expressed strong resentment against the Punjab Government for undue delay in restoring pay parity of Vets with Medicos and urged the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to direct the Finance department to immediately restore the pay parity of Veterinary Officers with their counterparts in health department which had been in vogue for over four decades and was secured following a judgement of apex court of India.
It's pertinent to mention that starting basic pay of Veterinary Officers had been reduced from Rupees 56, 100/- to 47, 600/- by the Finance department without any solid reason and rationale.
Punjab govt had decided to implement scales as per 7th central pay commission(CPC) to Punjab govt employees ignoring the 6th Punjab pay commission recommendations. While the Veterinary Officers in Govt of India and other central organizations had been granted entry scale of Rs 56, 100/- as per recommendation of 7th CPC, Punjab govt had given low entry scale of Rs 47, 600/- to Veterinary Officers. This has caused great heart burn and frustration amongst the cadre of Veterinary Officers, due to which many of them had immigrated to foreign countries leading to not only brain drain but also wealth.
Speaking on the occasion, Former Chief Executive Officer of Punjab Gau Sewa Commission Dr Nitin Kumar Gupta and former Joint Director Animal husbandry Dr Gurinder Singh Walia said that the Punjab govt should address the long pending demand of pay parity along with 4-9-14 step up dynamic assured career progression (DACP) scheme, provide HRA by including NPA in basic pay and full pay to Vets during probation period to ensure justice to Veterinarians. " It's ironical that Veterinary Officers in UT Chandigarh were granted entry scale of Rs 56, 100/- as per central government, while those on deputation from Punjab were being granted Rs 47, 600/- , which was against the accepted principle of equal pay for equal work" , they added.
Prominent among others present in the meeting were Dr Desh Deepak Goyal, Dr Madhukesh Palta, Dr Shashi Saini, Dr Jagjit Singh, Dr Gautam Parshad, Dr Naresh Sachdeva and Dr Nirmaljit Singh Mahal.