Modi Govt’s India–US Trade Deal Threatens Punjab’s Farmers, Dairy Sector and Small Industries : Balbir Singh Sidhu Chandigarh 6 February ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Senior Congress leader from Punjab and former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu today slammed the Modi government over the proposed India–US trade deal, calling it a serious threat to Punjab’s farming economy, dairy sector and small industries. Balbir Singh Sidhu said Punjab’s farmers are already under immense pressure due to rising costs and falling incomes, and opening Indian markets to subsidised U.S. agricultural imports will further depress crop prices and harm small and marginal farmers. He warned that such policies favour big corporations while ignoring ground realities in agrarian states like Punjab. Raising strong objections over dairy farming, Sidhu said dairy provides daily income to lakhs of rural families in Punjab. Any opening of the sector under the trade deal could lead to cheap milk powder and dairy impor...
Preparations for the February 12th strike by UT and MC employees are in full swing. Gate meetings were held at six locations today
Preparations for the February 12th strike by UT and MC employees are in full swing. Gate meetings were held at six locations today
Chandigarh 6 February ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : On the call of the Federation of UT Employees and Workers, Chandigarh, UT and MC employees are fully prepared to make the strike on February 12th, 2026, a success. In connection with the preparations for the strike, gate meetings were held today at the Electricity Office in Sector 10, Municipal Corporation Horticulture Booths in Sector 10 and Sector 33, Water Supply Booth in Sector 15, and 39 Road Booth in Sector 9.
While addressing the gate meetings, Federation President Gopal Dutt Joshi, President Rajendra Katoch, General Secretary Harkesh Chand, Vice President and General Secretary of CSC Horticulture M.M. Subramanyam, President of UT Power Man Union Amrik Singh, Secretary Virendra Singh, Harjinder Singh, Jagtar Singh and Vice President of CSC Horticulture Department Budhram, Devi Singh, President of Ayyappan Public Health Harpal Singh, Vice President Cashier Hanif Mohammad, Harjeet Singh, Sukhdeep Singh etc. while addressing the rallies appealed to all the employees to join the strike on 12th February. They said that this strike is for: fixing the terms and conditions of the 8th Pay Commission and giving 20% final relief with immediate effect, repealing the four labour codes made by amending 29 labour laws, regularizing all types of temporary employees who have completed 10 years and implementing equal pay for equal work till they are regularized, bringing outsourced employees under the departments with immediate effect, repealing the PFRDA Act and restoring the old pension.
Stopping the privatization of departments, immediately filling the vacant promotional posts in all departments and regularizing the contract employees on direct recruitment posts, adjusting the electricity employees sent from the Chandigarh Administration to private companies in the Electricity Department and other departments of the Administration, canceling the dismissal orders of crèche workers and helpers and taking them back on duty, and bringing back the employees who retired at 60 instead of 65, bringing the parks and green belts under the Horticulture Department under the department, cancelling the ESMA imposed in the Electricity and Transport Departments, cancelling the FIRs registered against the employees, repealing sections 310, 311, 2 ABC of the Constitution, immediately taking back the retrenched employees in the Municipal Corporation, increasing the ESI deduction limit to at least Rs. 50,000, implementing the Central Government Health Scheme on UT employees, eliminating the 5% ceiling and providing jobs to the dependents of deceased employees, implementing DC rates for crèche/anganwadi workers, and providing oil and soap to the employees. This is being done in support of demands like immediate supply of uniforms etc. The office bearers of the Federation appealed to the employees of all departments to participate in large numbers in the strike on 12th February and make the rally being organised in Sector 17 a success.
Comments
Post a Comment