minister Harpal Singh Cheema Holds 3-hour Meeting With Employee Unions; Directs Departments To Expedite Resolution Of Demands

Aug26,2026 | Jagrati Lahar Bureau | Chandigarh

*Bhagwant Mann Govt deeply sympathetic & committed to employees’ concerns: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Action on most major demands already under process: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Minister directs Transport, Education, Animal Husbandry and Finance Departments to act swiftly on legitimate employee demands*

CHANDIGARH; 26th August 2026:

Reaffirming the Bhagwant Mann government's commitment to addressing the grievances of its workforce, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who also serves as the Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to resolve employee issues, held a series of extensive meetings with multiple employee unions today. The meetings took place at his office and lasted for approximately three hours.

Listening attentively to the concerns raised, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured the union leaders, “The Bhagwant Mann government is deeply sympathetic to your causes. Action on most of your major demands is already under process.”

Taking proactive steps during the meeting, the cabinet minister issued clear directives to the Transport Department, the Education Department, the Animal Husbandry Department, and the Finance Department.

He instructed the respective officials, stating, “Consider the legitimate demands of the employee unions with utmost sympathy. Expedite the necessary actions required for their swift resolution.”

During these comprehensive discussions, Finance Minister Cheema engaged with delegations from the Joint Action Committee of Vets for Pay-Parity, the Punjab Roadways PUNBUS/PRTC Contract Workers Union, the Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) State Transport Workers Union, the A.I.E. Kacche Adhiyapak Union, the United Physical Education of Punjab, the Berozgar Sanjha Morcha, and the Murh Bahal Kacche Adhiyapak Union. The union leaders presented a detailed overview of their demands, primarily focusing on the regularisation of contract-based employees, the transition of outsourced employees directly to departmental contracts, and the resolution of pay-parity discrepancies.

Attendees included Dr. Puneet Malhotra, Dr. Abdul Majid, Dr. Gurdeep Singh Kaler, Dr. Harmandeep Singh, and Dr. Rajinder Singh from the Joint Action Committee of Vets for Pay-Parity. The Punjab Roadways PUNBUS/PRTC Contract Workers Union was represented by Resham Singh Gill, Shamsher Singh, Harkesh Kumar, Rohi Ram, Baljit Singh, Balwinder Singh Rath, Jagjit Singh, and Jatinder Singh, while Harminder Singh, Lakhwinder Singh Mahdawan, and Bachittar Singh represented the Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) State Transport Workers Union.

Additionally, the A.I.E. Kacche Adhiyapak Union delegation comprised Tejinder Kaur, Karaminder Singh, Inderjit Handa, and Kiranjit Kaur. Lakhvir Singh Siriyewala, Manjit Singh, and Lakhvir Singh attended on behalf of the United Physical Education of Punjab. The discussions also included Raman Kumar Malout, Amandeep Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Sandeep Mofar, and Harjinder Singh from the Berozgar Sanjha Morcha, along with Vikas Sahni, Lakhwinder Kaur, and Varun Khera representing the Murh Bahal Kacche Adhiyapak Union.

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