Punjab: Contractual staffers climb atop building with petrol bottles

MOHALI: Members of Sanyukt Atma Punjab Association (SAPA) climbed atop the Kheti Bhawan building holding petrol bottles in their hands and threatened to self-immolate themselves and jump from the building.
The members are contractual employees under the Central government sponsored Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme, an autonomous institution set up at district level to ensure delivery of various agricultural based schemes to the farmers.
Association president Ramandeep Singh said, "We have been pressing our demands for regularising our services and to ensure benefits as per the regular employees but the Punjab government is not listening to our demands. Also, we have not been paid our salaries as the Centre had 60 per cent share while the state had to contribute 40 per cent of the share. Now, the state is responsible for releasing our salaries and regularising our services."
Singh said they have been protesting for the past seven days but the government is not responding.