DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab government employees and pensioners on Thursday held a protest against the recommendations of the state's Sixth Pay Commission in Patiala, the home town of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Holding black flags, they tried to march towards Moti Mahal, the residence of Amarinder Singh, but were stopped by police. Heavy police force had been deployed and barricades put up to prevent the protesters from heading towards Moti Mahal. Employees representing different unions assembled at Dana Mandi in Patiala and criticised the Congress government for not heeding to their demands. However, the protesting employees said they have been assured of a meeting with a committee of ministers led by Brahm Mohindra on Friday at Chandigarh for resolving their grievances. "A large number of employees and pensioners from across the state assembled for the protest," said Sukhchain Khera, president of the Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association. The protesters under the banner of the Punjab, UT Mulazam and Pensioners' Sanjha Front raised slogans against the state government. A protester claimed that the recommendations of the pay panel will result in negligible rise in pay. "We reject the Sixth Pay Commission and its recommendations should be withdrawn," he said. The employees are objecting to the formula used in calculation of an increase in pay. The state government had decided to implement a majority of the recommendations with effect from January 1, 2016, a move likely to benefit over five lakh serving and retired employees. The implementation will entail 2.59 times increase in salary and pension over the previous pay panel recommendations, with an annual increment rate of three per cent. The employees also demanded the regularisation of contractual employees, reduction in probation period for new staff and revival of the old pension scheme. A woman protester, who works as a contractual teacher, said they have been demanding the regularisation of their jobs since 2014 but their demand has not been accepted by the state government yet. (editor@dailyworld.in)