DW BUREAU / ChandigarhPunjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday assured the representatives of the Punjab AIDS Control Employees Welfare Association that adequate life insurance coverage will be provided to the employees of the society after consultations with various banks. This assurance was given during meetings with the Punjab State Karamchari Dal, Computer Teachers Unions, and Punjab AIDS Control Employees Welfare Association at his office. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema expressed his appreciation for the services rendered by the AIDS Control Society and assured the representatives that their other demands would be considered sympathetically. The association's representatives thanked the Finance Minister and affirmed their commitment to diligently controlling the spread of HIV in the state. They also pledged to complete any programs offered by the state government with dedicated spirit. Earlier in the meeting with the leaders of the Punjab State Karamchari Dal, the memorandum presented by them was discussed in detail. Finance Minister Cheema instructed the finance department officials to assess the financial implications of certain demands related to employees and pensioners. He emphasized that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to the welfare of the state's employees. Despite many financial challenges, the government has recently decided to grant a 4 percent dearness allowance to the employees, he mentioned. The computer teachers' unions raised issues that have been pending for several years. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured the union that the current Punjab government is focused on ensuring the welfare of the employees by avoiding decisions that led to court cases, as happened during the regime of past state governments. After seriously considering all the demands of the union, he assured them that their legitimate demands would be considered sympathetically. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that Punjab Cabinet Sub-Committees engagements with the employee organizations underscores the state government's dedication to addressing the concerns of its employees and ensuring their well-being.(editor@dailyworld.in)