Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 13

Beneficiaries of various pension schemes are at the receiving end of a pen-down strike by the staff of the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development.

Around 25,000 applications for enrolment in various pension schemes, including for elderly, handicapped and widows, are awaiting approval due to the strike. Consequently, eligible beneficiaries are being deprived of the much-needed financial help. Besides, the ongoing recruitment of the anganwari workers and helpers has also been hit by the protest.

25K pleas pending

Around 25,000 applications for enrolment in various pension schemes are awaiting approval due to the strike by Child Development Project Officers and supervisers.

Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and supervisors of the department have been on strike for weeks now over the pay commission report. They are protesting against the commission for downgrading their pay scale. The protesters said though they were burdened with additional work, their salary had been cut.

The employees have now decided to hold protests at the head office of the department in Chandigarh on Monday. Kanwar Shakti Bangar, president, CDPOs’ Democratic Association, said, “We will not end our strike until our demands are met. As to the loss to pension beneficiaries due to our strike, the government is responsible, not us. We will intensify our protest in the coming days.”