The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) has decided to intensify its agitation plan for implementation of Pension & Gratuity scheme of 18.12.1996 unanimously enacted in 1999 by Punjab Assembly. The PCCTU leaders J R Prashar(President), Dr Kuldip Singh(General Secretary) and Dr P S Gill(Co-President) criticized the Punjab Govt for dilly-dallying in implementing the long pending genuine demand. This decision was taken yesterday(20.11.12) at DAV College, Bathinda, where a protest rally and vigorous march was held by Joint Action Committee(JAC) of Employees of Govt-Aided Colleges of Punjab. After the rally an emergent meeting of Executive Committee of PCCTU was held and it was decided to intensify the agitation. Later on the Joint Action Committee unanimously decided to intensify the agitation and the following action plan has been decided :
1. Two hour Stay in Strike on Nov 22 in colleges: It was decided that there shall be two hour stay-in strike in colleges from 11am to 01pm in all the college in Punjab and Chandigarh.
2. Chain Fast at Chandigarh from November 23 to 26 : The joint action committee decided to start chain fast in front of DPI Colleges Punjab Sector 17 CHD from Nov 23 to 26 in which 11 employees will sit on chain fast from 10.00 to 4.00 pm each day. The composition of the group shall be 5 teachers (Members of Executive Committee), 4 non- teaching employees and 2 retired teachers.
The joint action committee JAC has decided to keep a vigil on the developments in govt quarters and their stand in the High Court on Nov 26. In case of any effort by the government to play with the emotions of the employees will be met with a stronger action plan including court arrests and indefinite strike in these colleges. The Executive Committee of PCCTU will hold emergent meeting on November 26 and decide the future course of action in consultation with the JAC.
It is pertinent to add that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal Adopted the Pension & Gratuity Bill in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Unanimously and notified the Act vide Notification No. 4-PLA-99/5 dated 27.03.1999 as per Rules of Procedure of Vidhan Sabha under rule 121 for the implementation of said Scheme in the Colleges. The “Statement of Objects & Reasons” presented in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1999, clearly stated that the Pension and Gratuity Scheme will be implemented on the pattern of Privately Aided Schools. The Governor Punjab gave his assent on 19.04.1999 and was notified in the gazette on 26-04-1999, and then it became the law of the land. The most violent and illegal, blatantly unjust onslaught was made by the issuance of Regulations on 10.07.2002 which somersaulted the Govt. scheme into a private venture. This document was utterly violation of the act enacted by the Punjab Government and was publically burnt by the employees to express their resentment. The Govt. has now issued notification dated 12.01.2012 whereby the rules dated 10.07.2002 have been repealed.
The Joint Action Committee consisting of PCCTU, Retired Employees Association, Principals’ Federation, Non-Teaching Employees Union welcome the interim order the Honorable High Court Bench headed by Chief Justice A K Sikri. The Bench directed the Punjab Govt to formulate the Pension Rules, which were earlier provided in the scheme of 18/12/1996, up to November 26, the next date of hearing. The Honorable Court took a serious note of the evasive and deceptive role the Govt. The Court observed ‘we are giving a last opportunity to the respondents to deliberate on the issue and inform this court on the next date of hearing about the framing the Rules of 1996 Pension scheme.’ The Joint Action Committee hailed the order of the court and decided to wage an agitation to fulfill its long pending just demand which was the part of election manifestos of SAD Govt headed by S. Parkash Singh Badal in the years of 1997 and 2002. All the major political parties like SAD, Congress, B J P, C P I, P P P included in their respective manifestos to provide benefits of pension & gratuity to the college teachers. It is really unfortunate that the demand of pension & Gratuity could not be implemented because of election model code of conduct thrice i.e.1997, 2002&2007.
It is very unfortunate that amongst top twenty states of the country (including neighboring states of Haryana and UP), Punjab is the only state which has not yet implemented the Pension-Gratuity Scheme for staff of aided colleges. Even states like Assam have come forward to extend the benefit of pension and gratuity to the staff of aided colleges. All other employees of the educational institutions like schools, colleges and Universities are getting the benefits. The Pension scheme against CPF was initiated for five departments in the year 1987; the other four departments like Aided Schools, Local self Govt, Panchayati raj, Khadi Board, Punjab Road Transport Corporation etc. were succeeded to get the Pensionary benefits except Aided Colleges.
KuldipSingh(General Secretary): 9855596480 PSGill(Co-President) JRPrashar(President)