A meeting of the ‘Old Scales, Pension, and Allowances Restoration Front, Ludhiana’ was held under the chairmanship of Surinderpal Singh to plan the next phase of the struggle against the Punjab government, which has refused to resolve the financial demands of its employees. During the meeting, a review was conducted regarding the promises made—and the pending issues of the ongoing struggle—during the meeting held on March 5 with the Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister and officials from the Finance Department, following the state-level rally held in Sangrur on February 15, 2026. It was resolved that a forceful response, delivered through intensified protests, would be given to the Punjab AAP government’s indifference toward the financial demands of the employees.
The meeting also strongly condemned the police brutality inflicted upon employees marching toward Chandigarh on March 8, as well as the mistreatment of teachers in Chandigarh on March 12. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema was severely criticized for his statement in the Legislative Assembly—in which he urged against “showing haste in restoring the Old Pension Scheme”—as this was seen as a clear refusal to implement his own government’s official notification issued four years ago. Furthermore, the Punjab government was warned to be prepared to face the employees’ agitation. Front leaders Ramanjit Singh Sandhu, Arminder Singh, Veerpal Kaur, Jaswinder Singh Aitiana, and Kuldeep Singh stated that the notification dated July 17, 2020—based on the new Central Pay Scales—should be annulled *ab initio* (from the very beginning). Instead, salaries should be fixed in accordance with the 6th Punjab Pay Commission, inclusive of a 15% hike. Furthermore, citing the precedent set by the Dr. Saurav Sharma case and similar judicial rulings, they demanded the strict implementation of Punjab Pay Scales in accordance with service rules. They also sought the restoration of all benefits associated with the Punjab Pay Scales for non-teaching employees—who were regularized in the new pay scales starting in 2018—thereby reversing the salary cuts previously imposed by the Education Department under the *Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan*. Additionally, they demanded the abolition of the Corporate New Pension System (NPS)—applicable to employees recruited after January 1, 2004—and the restoration of the Old Pension System (OPS). Finally, they called for the reinstatement of 37 different types of allowances that had been discontinued for employees.
In accordance with a decision by the State Committee to intensify the struggle regarding these demands, a convention will be held on April 21, 2026, at the Pensioners’ Bhawan in Ludhiana. These demands include the reinstatement of the Rural Area Allowance, Border Area Allowance, ACP benefits, and the pending 16% Dearness Allowance. Following the convention at the Pensioners’ Bhawan in Ludhiana, a march comprising hundreds of employees will proceed toward the residence of Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora, where a ‘warning letter’ will be submitted should their financial demands remain unfulfilled.
On the occasion of Labour Day (May 1st), a large delegation will visit the Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh to serve notice regarding a statewide rally and protest march scheduled for May 17th, and to submit their charter of demands. Hundreds of employees from the Ludhiana district are expected to participate in the Chandigarh rally on May 17th. Also present on this occasion were Rupinder Pal Singh Gill, Harpreet Singh, Rajwant Kaur, Sukhwinder Singh Leel, Avtar Singh Khalsa, Kuldeep Singh, Lakhvir Singh, Rohit Kamboj, Sukhchain Singh Walia, and others.
