Sewa Kendra services hit as staff strike over low pay

Ludhiana: Public services at Sewa Kendras across Punjab remained severely disrupted on Tuesday as nearly 2,300 employees continued their strike against the state govt. The staff are demanding better remuneration, regularisation of jobs, and an end to exploitation by private firms hired to run the kendras. The protest left visitors stranded, halting essential public services including certificate issuance and identity card updates.

The striking employees revealed that most of them receive a paltry monthly salary of around Rs 10,000, with virtually no financial revision for the past decade. Despite being promised an annual increment of Rs 1,000 at the time of recruitment, workers noted that earnings have failed to keep pace with inflation. For instance, one employee’s salary merely rose from Rs 9,700 to Rs 11,000 after ten years of service, making it impossible to support dependent families.

Staff issue termination threats

In addition to stagnant pay, the association highlighted that staff are increasingly overworked under the “equal pay for equal work” principle. Employees engaged in doorstep delivery services complained that their working hours have been stretched from 8 am to 10 pm. Furthermore, their fuel expenses, which often exceed their low monthly wages, are routinely delayed for months, crippling their ability to work.

Rather than addressing these grievances, the Sewa Kender Mulazam Welfare Association reported that the govt has begun issuing termination letters to district-level protest leaders. Association state president Baljinder Singh Majha explained that successive govts bring in private firms that exploit the 2,300-strong workforce by denying regularisation and rightful increments.

Public irked by protest

The ongoing strike caused major inconvenience to citizens visiting the centres for urgent documentation. A resident from Dugri shared that they had to return without completing critical address updates and time-sensitive corrections to their daughter’s birth certificate.

Despite the disruption, some visitors voiced solidarity with the agitating workers. One visitor, Amandeep, expressed shock after learning about the low wages during a doorstep delivery visit, urging the govt to listen to the staff’s demands and provide them with decent, livable salaries.