Punjab revenue staff call off strike after assurance by minister

PATIALA: : Punjab revenue officials have called off their strike after meeting the revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management minister, Brahm Shankar Jimpa.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Revenue Patwar Union and Revenue Kanungo Association.

Agreeing to the demand of the union, the minister assured them that the government will change the investigation officer in patwari Didar Singh’s case, who has been booked by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.

Those who were present on the occasion included additional chief secretary-cum-finance secretary, revenue, Anurag Agarwal, revenue secretary Manvesh Singh Sidhu, and deputy commissioner Sakshi Sahni.

“They were asking for a free and fair probe and for this, I have asked the Vigilance Bureau to change the investigation officer,” the minister said.

He thanked the Patwar Union leaders and said that the union had called off their strike in the public interest. He said it was decided that the investigating officer in the case would be transferred and the rest legitimate demands of the patwaris would be met by the Punjab government in a phased manner.

Replying to a query on the issue of corruption, the minister said the government would not tolerate corruption at any cost and an operation had been launched to eradicate this menace.

President of the Revenue Patwar Union Harveer Singh Dhindsa said, “The minister has assured us of a free and fair probe; thus we have lifted the strike.”