Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Mohali Vets stage a sit-in for pay parity
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali (Punjab), July 30, 2025: As part of protests all over the State, Mohali Veterinarians held a sit-in at the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry office, here today.
The protest was held under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee of Vets for Pay Parity to express displeasure against the "nonchalant attitude of Punjab Government towards restoring the pay parity of Vets with their counterparts in the health department."
Speaking on the occasion, Co-Convenor of JAC Dr Abdul Mazid and former Joint Director Animal Husbandry Punjab Dr Gurinder Singh Walia strongly condemned the Punjab government for delaying the restoration of pay parity of Veterinary officers with Medical Officers, which had been in vogue for the past 47 years but was disturbed by the previous government in the year 2021.
Dr Walia said that this disparity had been created by the Congress government at their fag end, and was an absolute disregard for the judgment of the Punjab and Haryana high court and the 7th Central Pay commission recommendations, which had been followed while revising pay scales from 1/1/2016.
"As per 7th CPC, Veterinary Officers had been granted entry pay scale of Rs 56,100/-, whereas in Punjab, entry scale of Rs 47,600/- had been granted, he added.
Dr Nitin Gautam, President of the district unit, pointed out that it was ironic to note that in Chandigarh, Veterinary Officers of UT and those on deputation from Haryana were getting an entry scale of Rs 56,100/-, whereas those on deputation from Punjab were getting Rs 47,600/-This, he added, was against the widely accepted principle of "equal pay for equal work".
The leaders urged the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to intervene in this important matter and direct the Finance department to set right this aberration so that parity is maintained and there is no contempt of court.
Later, a memorandum containing the roster of demands was presented to the ADC and Deputy Director Animal Husbandry, SAS Nagar.