MGNREGA Employees’ Anger Erupts: Memorandum of Demands Submitted to BDPO; ‘Mega-Protest’ in Mohali on April 20 if Demands Are Not Met…
Faridkot/ Kotkapura (Alexander D’Souza): The MGNREGA Employees’ Union (Punjab), Faridkot District, has launched a protest campaign against the government regarding their pending demands. Led by District President Rupinder Singh, the employees today submitted a memorandum of demands to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) of Kotkapura. The employees issued a clear warning: if a solution to their grievances is not found soon through a panel meeting in Chandigarh, they will be compelled to resort to intense agitation.
Key Demands: Departmental Merger and Regularization
Terming their demands as entirely rational, the employees highlighted the following key points: Reference to Transparent Recruitment:
Union leaders stated that their recruitment in 2008 was conducted in a completely transparent manner and in strict accordance with standard regulatory norms. Despite this, even after 18 years have passed, approximately 2,100 employees continue to work for extremely meager wages.
Merger on the Lines of Other States: States such as Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have already merged their NREGA employees into their respective Panchayat Departments. The employees question why, if the Punjab government can regularize the staff working under schemes like SSA and NHM, is it discriminating against NREGA employees?
Appointment to Vacant Posts: The Union asserts that merging these experienced employees into the vacant posts of Panchayat Development Secretaries would not impose any additional financial burden on the state exchequer.
“Due to low wages and the resulting mental stress, nearly 50 of our colleagues have lost their lives so far. The government’s apathy has now become utterly intolerable,” stated a Union leader.
Announcement of Mohali ‘Gherao’ (Siege) on April 20:
In strong terms, the Union declared that if the government fails to grant a time slot for a panel meeting soon, employees from every corner of Punjab will converge on April 20, 2026, to stage a massive state-level protest demonstration at the Mohali headquarters. Staff Present at the Scene:
During this protest, Gaganpreet Singh (APO), Balraj Singh, Lakhvir Singh, Rupinder Singh, Mohit Narang, Vishesh, and the entire MGNREGA staff of the Kotkapura Block were present.
News: 18-4
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