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If elected, will implement 6th pay panel report in Punjab: Kejriwal

The present govt had not paid arrears of previous DA installments and even pensioner's arrears of 5th pay commission are pending, he said.

Amritsar: Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday promised the Punjab government employees that the 6th pay commission report would be implemented within 100 days of the party forming government after Assembly elections.

Accusing Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh of "cheating" the youth of the state by promising them 60 lakh jobs, he claimed that when Amarinder was chief minister, he had imposed ban on the recruitment drive in government departments.

Punjab government had set up the 6th pay commission but its report is not read yet, Kejriwal said at a press conference in Amritsar.

"We will ensure that report is submitted in time bound manner and also implemented within 100 days of forming government," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

The AAP government would ensure that all installments of Dearness Allowance (DA) announced by the Centre were given to Punjab government employees within one month, he said.

"The present SAD-BJP government had not paid arrears of previous DA installments and even pensioner's arrears of 5th pay commission are still pending. We will give Diwali bonus to all employees much before the Diwali Day," he said.

Kejriwal said presently there are only four lakh sanctioned posts in Punjab and the total number of central government employees is around 55 lakh.

He asked Amarinder why he was "cheating" youth of the state with "false promise" of job to every house.

Amarinder was always "against government jobs" and he had completely "banned" recruitment on vacant posts when he came to power in 2002, Kejriwal said.

"During his tenure he didn't fill even a single post" then why people of Punjab should trust him this time, he said.

In fact, it was Amarinder who "imposed a ban" on the recruitment drive in state government departments after issuing a notification in this regard, he said.

Kejriwal claimed that Amarinder started the system of employing people on contract and ad hoc basis.

Also during Amarinder's tenure, the pension scheme for government employees was abolished then how he can promise to give pensions to employees, he said.

"AAP government would restore the old pension scheme for state government employees," Kejriwal said.

Pointing out that during an interview Amarinder had said he lost 2007 and 2012 Assembly elections as he had not made false promises to people, the AAP leader asked, "Is this the reason why you are making so many promises which you can't fulfill."

Claiming that Navjot Singh Sidhu is the "undeclared chief ministerial candidate" of Congress, Kejriwal said, "Sidhu had refused to join AAP when we denied him the Deputy Chief Minister's post. It is a fact that he had decided to support Congress after he was promised CM's post."

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was "annoyed" with Amarinder and would "dump" him after using him for campaigning, Kejriwal claimed.

The AAP national convener also questioned Amarinder for his decision to compete polls against him.

Kejriwal said, "Why he is so keen to contest against me and not against Badals or Majithia. I am not selling drugs, it is Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia who was involved in drug racket.

"We are fighting against the Badal family and Majithia because defeating them is more important so AAP has fielded strong candidates against Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia," he said.

Kejriwal alleged that Amarinder used his influence with Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi to save Majithia from CBI in 2013 when he was about to get arrested in a drug case.

"I will advise Amarinder Singh to be loyal to people of Punjab rather than his nephew Bikram Majithia," he said. Replying to a question, Kejriwal said AAP will give the Chief Minister's to a person who will wake up at 5 in the morning and work till 10 in the night and will be available to public all the time.

"Amarinder Singh didn't meet anybody after 6 PM," the AAP convener said.

( Source : PTI )
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