Punjab CM hands over regular job letters to 12,710 teachers

Chandigarh: Emotions ran high as the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave regularisation letters to 12,710 contractual teachers of the Education department.

A peoples’ leader, Bhagwant Mann brought smiles on the faces of the teachers while handing them over the letters, made them laugh with his sense of humour and interacted with them from the stage as well. When one of the teachers requested him to ensure the remaining teachers are also given appointment letter, he requested them to have patience and he will do the needful.

In a function held at the Tagore theater, the Chief Minister said that after assuming the charge of office he had laid emphasis on regularising the services of these teachers by overcoming all the legal and administrative hiccups. Bhagwant Mann said that the motive was to ensure the secure future of teachers as he firmly believes that if the future of teachers is protected then only they can transform the destiny of the students. He said that the state government had made concerted efforts due to which this historic day is being witnessed today.

Striking an emotional chord with other employees too, the Chief Minister said that the problem of every employee will be solved for which the state government is already making all out efforts. Asserting that he is there to resolve all the issues faced by the teaching fraternity, Bhagwant Mann said that being son of a teacher he knew the problems of the teachers very well adding that he is duty bound to resolve all of them. He said that the state exchequer belongs to the people and every single penny will be judiciously utilised for the well being of every strata of society.

Citing an incident where life of a girl from border village was transformed by his strenuous efforts as an artist, the Chief Minister said that girl was facing severe hardships to pursue education but due to his humble effort she scripted new success story in life adding that if an artist can do this then the head of state can do much more. He said that it was unfortunate that these teachers had to work on meagre salaries and had to protest for their lawful rights due to apathy of successive governments. Bhagwant Mann said that even the workers under MGNREGA used to get more salaries then the teachers due to which he was peeved as it was an atrocity on the nation builders.

The Chief Minister said that this is not a favour on anyone but it is his bounden duty to serve the state and the masses. Bhagwant Mann said that he has been blessed that people of the state have reposed so much trust in him adding that he will make every effort to uphold this faith. He said that his government is making every effort to ensure the holistic development of the state and prosperity of its people.

The Chief Minister said that from now onwards the word contractual will be forever eliminated from before the name of these teachers. He said that every year a 5% increment will be given to these teachers along with other benefits including holidays. Bhagwant Mann said that in another historic initiative the state government has decided that the teachers will only render service related to teaching work and no other non-teaching duty will be assigned to them.