Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab Veterinary doctors stop reporting to dept over pay-parity dispute
Punjab Vets are moving abroad or to other progressive states like Haryana, HP, and Rajasthan.
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali (Punjab), November 22, 2025:Veterinary doctors in Punjab have decided to stop reporting to the Animal Husbandry Department. This decision was taken in a state-level meeting of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Vets for Pay-Parity, in which representatives from all districts participated.
Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Convener, JAC, stated that the Veterinary Doctors of Punjab had been agitating as the Government had disturbed the pay-parity that existed with medical doctors since 1977, reducing the starting salary of Veterinary Officers from Rupees 56,100 to 47,600.
Additionally, the government has failed to implement Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) Scheme, besides providing HRA (House Rent Allowance) on NPA (Non Practising Allowance) despite a joint notification for medical and veterinary doctors, and is not providing full salary to Vets during the probation period.
Due to these issues, the Veterinary Doctors have been on the path of struggle for the last almost five years to get their demands implemented.
The current government has not been able to rectify the wrong doings of the previous government even after almost four years of its regime.. As per recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, which the Punjab government was said to follow, the salary of Veterinary Officer was deemed to be Rs 56,100 in Pay Band 4, whereas letter issued by Finance department dated 4th Jan 2021 placed Veterinary Officers in pay band 3 reducing entry scale to 47600.
This is a blatant injustice to Veterinary Doctors, Dr Gurcharan lamented. . The Central Government's 7th Pay Commission recommends a minimum of 56100 for Group A officers.
The services of Veterinary Officers are in Group A. The government is also violating the orders of the Honourable Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court of India. Service rules have also been ignored.
The principle of Equal Qualification - Equal Work - Equal Pay is also being disregarded. It is ironical that Veterinary Officers working in the same department at the same post are being viewed with two different perspectives and are being given different salaries causing lot of heartburning amongst the cadre.
"Fed up with this stepmotherly treatment by the government, attrition rate of Veterinary Officers who are leaving their jobs and moving to foreign countries or progressive states like Haryana, HP, Rajasthan or GOI organizations. The Chief Minister Bhagwant Maan recently eulogized the Veterinary Doctors serving in foreign countries in the Legislative Assembly whereas. Vets in his own state were being meted stepmothely treatment. The government should pay attention to the Veterinary Doctors of Punjab. This attitude of the government is hurting the morale of the Vets and due to continuous brain drain, the livestock owners/farmers of Punjab are also suffering.
Co-conveners Dr. Puneet Malhotra and Dr. Abdul Majid said that during the flood situation in Punjab, the Joint Action Committee of Vets for Pay-Parity suspended the struggle and called upon the Veterinary Doctors to protect the livestock from diseases.
Acting on this, the Veterinary Doctors worked day and night to provide valuable services in the floods and did not allow any disease to spread among animals or from animals to humans. Despite this, the Punjab Government did not pay any attention to implementing the demands of the Veterinary Doctors.
In such a situation, the Joint Action Committee of Vets for Pay-Parity has no choice but to intensify the struggle. Therefore, it has been unanimously decided to stop the departmental reports from 21.11.2025, and a memorandum regarding this has been submitted to the Director of the Animal Husbandry Department.
Chief Media Advisor Dr. Gurinder Singh Walia warned that if the government still does not implement the demands, the struggle will be further intensified in the coming day and the government shall be responsible for any resultant damage.