9 months on, 1,152 selected patwaris await job letters in Punjab

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, May 9

The candidates who cleared the exam for the posts of patwari in September 2021 are yet to receive their appointment letters. They said they had met several MLAs, ministers and even the Chief Minister in this regard, but to no avail.

Have Met AAP MLAs, CM

The selected candidates have met all AAP MLAs, besides Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. But the only thing they have got so far is assurance and nothing else. Joginder Singh, selected patwaris’ union

Talking to The Tribune, Joginder Singh, President, Union of Selected Patwaris, said their recruitment process was completed during the Congress government’s tenure but the appointment letters could not be issued due to the model code of conduct.

He said the recruitment of 1,152 patwaris was advertised by the Services Selection Board, Mohali, in January 2021. “The selected candidates handed over applications to all MLAs of the present government in several districts. Besides, the delegation of candidates also met Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann at Mohali and then at his Sangrur residence last month, but we were only given assurances and nothing else,” he added.

Some candidates had started giving home tuitions, while others had taken up data operators’ jobs on a meagre salary of Rs 4,000 or Rs 5000 per month to make both ends meet, said Joginder.

Another candidate Anmoljot Singh claimed before the Assembly elections, CM Mann announced that he would use his green pen to provide jobs to the unemployed. “The 50 days of the government have come to an end, but so far the present AAP government has not issued appointment letters to 1,152 revenue, district and canal patwaris,” he added.

He further said there had been a shortage of patwaris in Punjab for a long time. “There are only about 1,700 patwaris working against the sanctioned 4716 posts, due to which the common man is facing a lot of difficulties in getting their work done.”

The candidates said despite the shortage, the government was not paying attention to their demands. They said if the government did not issue appointment letters at the earliest, they would be forced to intensify their protests.