Punjab is preparing for a major wave of government employee unrest as multiple employees’ unions have announced a statewide agitation against the state government over long-pending financial demands. The protest will be held on February 15 outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Sangrur and is expected to see large participation from employees across Punjab.
The announcement came after a joint state-level convention and protest march organised in Moga under the banner “Old Pay Scale, Pension and Allowances Restoration Morcha.” The convention was held at Nachhattar Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Hall, where hundreds of government employees gathered to express their frustration over pay scales, pension policies and delayed benefits. After the meeting, union representatives marched through the town and later submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the district administration.
Leaders of the morcha, including Vikram Dev Singh, Deepak Kamboj, Atinder Pal Ghagga, Gurdeep Singh Bassi and Sandeep Singh Gill, accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to honour its pre-election promises. They said the government had committed to implementing Punjab pay scales for all employees, but workers recruited after July 17, 2020, are still being paid under central pay scales. They also alleged that court orders related to pay fixation are being implemented selectively, leaving many eligible employees without their rightful benefits.
The unions are demanding that Punjab pay scales be applied uniformly to all government employees and that salaries be fixed as per the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission with a 15 per cent hike. They are also calling for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme under the 1972 rules and the withdrawal of the Unified Pension Scheme. Another major demand is the release of the pending 16 per cent dearness allowance, which employees say has not been paid even once during 2025 so far, putting Punjab staff far behind their central government counterparts.
Union leaders also demanded the restoration of 37 allowances that were abolished earlier, including rural and border area allowances, and the revival of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme. They argued that while IAS and IPS officers continue to receive timely DA hikes from the state exchequer, Punjab government employees are being denied parity.
Democratic Employees Federation state president Germanjit Singh told the gathering that the movement should remain focused on government policies rather than individual leaders. He said the growing influence of corporate-style decision-making in governance was weakening the rights and financial security of government employees.
Employees from a wide range of departments, including teachers, health workers, veterinary inspectors, clerical staff and jail department personnel, participated in the Moga convention in large numbers. Many of them said they were no longer willing to accept delays and broken promises.
With the February 15 rally in Sangrur expected to be one of the largest employee mobilisations in recent years, union leaders have made it clear that the agitation will continue to intensify if the government does not address their demands. As financial pressure continues to grow, Punjab’s government workforce appears determined to push for what it calls justice, dignity and economic security.