Poto Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab: Nursing staff 'Ross Rally' postponed until May 21
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 6, 2025: The protest by the United Nurses Association of Punjab entered its fourth day with unwavering momentum as nurses across the state continued to raise their voices against what they termed as the government’s “employee-killing policies.”
Demonstrations were marked by loud slogans and a strong show of unity by the entire nursing cadre.
In a key development during the protest, delegations from the three major medical colleges—Amritsar, Patiala, and Mohali—held a formal meeting with Principal Secretary K. Rahul and DRME Director Avnish Kumar. Following the discussion, the government has scheduled a panel meeting on May 21, 2025, to address the nurses' longstanding demands.
In light of this development, the association’s leadership has decided to postpone the planned Ross Rally until May 21.
However, they made it clear that if the panel meeting is canceled or fails to yield satisfactory results, the Ross Rally will resume on May 22 with renewed intensity.
“We are hopeful that our legitimate demands will be addressed in the upcoming meeting. But if no resolution is found, we will not hesitate to escalate our struggle,” said an association spokesperson.
Key Demands of the Nursing Cadre:
- Restoration of Grade Pay 4600
- Counting of service years from 2009 to 2019 for promotion eligibility
- Full integration of Mohali’s autonomous society under the Punjab government
- Renaming the nursing cadre to reflect its evolving roles
- Filling of long-vacant posts through immediate promotions
- Implementation of the 4-9-14 promotion policy
- Issuance of an option to transfer from DRME to DHS
The United Nurses Association emphasized that these demands are not only fair but necessary for improving healthcare delivery and recognizing the critical role nurses play in the medical system.
The nursing staff across Punjab now await May 21 as a crucial date, hoping for meaningful action and dialogue from state authorities.