Veterinary doctors stage massive protest in Tarn Taran, demand restoration of pay parity with medical officers
Tarn Taran (Punjab), November 3, 2025: Hundreds of Veterinary Doctors from across Punjab held a massive protest march and state-level sit-in in Tarn Taran on Sunday, under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Vets for Pay Parity, demanding the immediate restoration of pay parity with Medical Officers and the reinstatement of the 4, 9, 14 Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme.
The protest, held just ahead of the by-election, witnessed the participation of Veterinary Officers, Senior Veterinary Officers, Assistant Directors, Deputy Directors, and retired doctors from all districts.
Addressing the gathering, JAC Convener Dr. Gurcharan Singh accused the Punjab government of violating a 42-year-old precedent by reducing the basic pay of Veterinary Officers from ₹56,100 to ₹47,600 in January 2021.
“From 1978 to 2020, the pay scale of Veterinary and Medical Officers was the same, as recognized by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court. This unjust decision has deeply demoralized the veterinary fraternity,” he said.
Dr. Singh highlighted that Veterinary Doctors played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2025 floods, working tirelessly to save livestock and prevent disease outbreaks. “The Chief Minister has praised our efforts in the Assembly, but our genuine demands remain unfulfilled,” he added.
The JAC leaders criticized the Aam Aadmi Party government for its “inaction and broken promises,” despite repeated assurances.
“This protest, ahead of the Tarn Taran by-election, is a message to unmask the government’s hypocrisy,” Dr. Singh said, urging Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to personally intervene.
Co-conveners Dr. Puneet Malhotra and Dr. Abdul Majid noted that Veterinary Officers in other states and central institutions, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, the Indian Army, and the BSF, receive the same pay and benefits as Medical Officers. “Punjab remains the only state where this disparity persists,” they said.
Media Advisor Dr. Gurinder Singh Walia stated that the government has forced highly qualified veterinary professionals onto the streets. Coordinator Dr. Tejinder Singh warned that if the demands were not met soon, the agitation would intensify, potentially affecting livestock health and farmers’ livelihoods.
At the conclusion of the protest, a memorandum of demands was submitted to the Punjab government, calling for the immediate restoration of pay parity and implementation of the DACP scheme.
