U.T. Employees Holds Massive Rally and Demonstration for Release of D.A. Installment

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 01^st February:- On the call given by the Federation of U.T. Employees Chandigarh and Coordination Committee of U.T. & M.C. Employees and workers Chandigarh, the U.T. & M.C. Employees held a massive protest rally and demonstration on today dated 1^st February, 2017 near Shivalik Hotel, Sector 17, Chandigarh. The Rally & Demonstration was held against the decision of Chandigarh Administration for the release of D.A. Installment from January 2017 instead of July 2016 hundreds of employees and workers of affiliated to over two dozen departmental unions have participated in the protest in a massive way. Large number of women employees has also participated in the protest rally.  

Gopal Datt Joshi General Secretary Federation while addressing the rally strongly criticize and blamed the Administration for stoppage of the Arrear of DA installment from July 2016 to December 2016 by linking the same with the decision of Punjab Govt. and strongly demanded to release the arrear of the DA immediately and said that the dearness allowance is linked with the prize index as well as, as per the decision of pay commission report of Union & State Governments which is regularly being paid by Chandigarh Administration as and when Government of India has released the same. To release the D.A. with the decision of Govt. of Punjab is not genuine and justified as the Govt. of Punjab has financial crunch. The previous D.A. installments have also not been released by the Punjab Govt. in time and deposit in GPF of employees due to financial constraints in Punjab, whereas U.T. is separate state and have separate Budgetary  provision and have no such financial problem like in Punjab and earlier the Chandigarh Administration has also granted the D.A. in cash to U.T. employees by delinking it with Punjab. Thus there is no reason to stop the arrear this time.  

Raghbir Chand convener Coordination Committee of U.T. Employee and Chandigarh and working president of the Federation while blaming the administration for their negative attitude said that numbers of memorandums have been submitted to the Advisor to the Administration & Finance Secretary U.T. Chandigarh on 06.12.2017,  29.12.2017 & 12.01.2017 and  appeal the administration to release the arrear without delay but it & regretted to point out that the administration has not taken any positive step to release the arrear which is causing great unrest amongst the employees and force the federation to observe this protest rally. He appeal the Hon’ble Administrator and member parliament  to intervene in the matter and warn that if the arrear of the w.e.f. July 2016 to December, 2016 will not be release immediately then federation will intensify agitation including in direct action.

Senior Vice President Vijay Singh, Bhim Sen, Rajinder Katoch, Satpal, Harpal Singh, Bish Ram, Kam Raj, Harkesh Chand, M. Subermanyam, Dhiyan Singh,  Jai Pal, Dhian Singh, Harkesh Chand, Amrik Singh, Bajinder Prasad, Behari Lal, Raj Pal, Pardeep Sharma, Rekha Sharma  and other leaders of the Federation also addressed to protest. Later on the protestors proceed march towards U.T. Secretariat and police try to stop the agitators by putting barricades near CAT then the ralliest sit on Dharna in roads. After that finance and planning officer came on the spot and receive the memorandum then the protest was disbursed after his assurance to consider the demand.