Palledars’ meet with Cabinet sub-committee postponed

Our Correspondent

Sangrur, August 19

A meeting of the Sangharsh panel comprising seven palledar unions with the Cabinet sub-committee, who have been protesting near CM Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur for the past several months over abolition of contractual labour system in the foodgrain agencies, scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed.

Earlier, the Cabinet sub-committee had decided to meet them on August 20. It has been learnt that due to non-availability of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the government has postponed all meetings of the unions, including palledars. Now, these meetings would be held on September 10 in Chandigarh.

Mohan Singh, chairman, Palledar Unions, said they had been asking the state government to abolish contractual labour system in the foodgrain agencies since past 20 years, but to no avail.

Mohan Singh said in case the state government failed to accept their demand, then it should pay wages directly to palledars through three-member committees set up at each depot, instead of labour contractors.