Revenue Minister Assures No Promotion Impact; Promises No Change in R&P Rules
Shimla: The indefinite strike by Patwaris and Kanungos in Himachal Pradesh has officially ended after an agreement was reached with the government. In a meeting held on Wednesday between the Joint Patwari-Kanungo Association and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, assurances were given that the recruitment and promotion (R&P) rules would remain unchanged, leading to the withdrawal of the protest.
The strike had begun in opposition to the government’s notification making Patwari-Kanungo a state cadre, which created concerns about its impact on service conditions. State President of the Patwari-Kanungo Federation, Satish Chaudhary, confirmed that all employees would return to work from Thursday. He acknowledged that initial mistrust led to the strike, but discussions with the government helped clarify the situation.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi stated that the notification for the state cadre required time for the federation to understand, and after detailed deliberations, the employees were assured that their promotion prospects would not be affected. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had also provided similar assurances in Gaggal earlier. The minister further added that several demands have been met under the Balwan Committee recommendations, and the government will review the remaining concerns.
With the strike now over, revenue department services are expected to return to normal across the state, bringing relief to the public.
