Punjab Newsline,Chandigarh:
Reorganisation proposal includes posts of Law Officers and Legal Assistants; Minister chairs meetings with employee unions
The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is fully committed to taking every possible step for the welfare of its employees. This was stated by Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak during meetings held at the Forest Complex. He emphasized that employees of the Forest Department are an integral part of the government and their concerns are being addressed with seriousness.
The minister held separate meetings with representatives of the Forest Rangers and Deputy Forest Rangers Association, the Retired Employees Union of the Punjab State Forest Development Corporation, Bathinda, and the Democratic Jungle Mazdoor Union, Punjab. Various demands and issues raised by the unions were discussed in detail.
Kataruchak informed that under the Forest Department’s reorganisation proposal approved by the Finance Department, 44 posts of the Punjab Forest Service (EACF) have been sanctioned. Additionally, to effectively deal with litigation matters, the proposal includes the creation of two posts of Law Officers and six posts of Legal Assistants.
Regarding the demand for direct recruitment to the PFS cadre, the minister said the matter would be considered sympathetically after the notification of rules concerning Forest Rangers.
Addressing pension-related concerns raised by the Retired Employees Union, he stated that a high-level committee has been constituted to examine the issue and submit its report. During discussions with the Democratic Jungle Mazdoor Union, the minister also listened carefully to demands related to the regularisation of services of temporary and uneducated employees (519 petitioners/non-petitioners).
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) Saurabh Gupta and Chief Wildlife Warden Basant Raj Kumar were also present on the occasion.