Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday handed over appointment letters to 710 newly recruited 'patwaris'.

The move comes a week after revenue officials launched an agitation saying they are boycotting "additional" work they are expected to carry out.

Mann also announced an over three-fold enhancement in the monthly training allowance for the under-training patwaris from the existing Rs 5,000 to Rs 18,000 with immediate effect.

He handed over the appointment letters to 710 newly inducted patwaris, including 201 women, at a function here.

In a reference to patwaris boycotting additional work, Mann, in an official statement, said it is unfortunate that some people have made it their habit to create inconvenience in the name of pen-down strikes for supporting their "corrupt colleagues".

Mann said this is “unwarranted and undesirable” as the state government will not make any compromise with the interests of the common man.

Taking a jibe over the obstinacy of the agitating patwaris, the chief minister said they want to “blackmail” the state government by “harassing” the common man.

However, the government will not succumb to such theatrics at the cost of the interests of the people, he said, adding this is the government of the people and every effort will be made to ensure their wellbeing.

Mann asked the newly appointed revenue officials to perform their duties with honesty and dedication. It is the need of the hour to ensure that under-training patwaris discharge their duties in a smooth and hassle-free manner.

He said Rs 5,000 was too inadequate for these patwaris who had come into service after clearing a tough competition.

Last week, the revenue officers, under the banner of the Revenue Patwar Union, launched an agitation after a patwari and a kanungo in Sangrur district were booked under a corruption case last month.

The patwaris had earlier threatened a pen-down strike but appeared to soften their stand on Thursday, saying that they will attend work in their own revenue circles but not take on any "additional" responsibilities.

A union leader representing the officials had said they were not undertaking any work related to "additional" charges allocated to them in 3,193 revenue circles but were discharging their duties related to other circles, including that of flood relief.

Addressing the gathering here on Friday, Mann said there is no dearth of funds with the state government to ensure the wellbeing of the employees of the Punjab government.

Exhorting the patwaris to judiciously use their pen for the welfare of the people rather than putting them in any kind of inconvenience, Mann said they will be incentivised accordingly in the coming times.

He said that pen-down strikes have never done any benefit to anyone, so the newly inducted patwaris should not indulge in such actions.

The chief minister categorically said that his government is committed to ensuring smooth and hassle-free services to people and no compromise will be made in this regard.

Announcing the recruitment of the patwaris annually on the lines of that of the Police force, Mann said the advertisement for the post of 586 new patwaris will be issued soon.

The regular recruitment of revenue officials will streamline the functioning of the revenue department on one hand and facilitate the people of the state on the other, he said.

No stone will be left unturned for this noble cause to ensure that Punjab emerges as the front-ranking state in the country, the chief minister said.

Mann said it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that the state government has hitherto provided more than 35,000 jobs to the youth in various departments of the state government.

Merit and transparency have been the twin pillars on the basis of which jobs have been given to the youth across the state, he said.

Launching a scathing attack on the opposition parties, Mann said that those who were living in palatial houses during their heydays of power had been ousted from the political scene of the state.

He said that the state has witnessed the dawn of a new era as these people who were considered invincible have been shown the door by the people.

Due to this, a change has been witnessed in Punjab and for the first time people-centric decisions have acquired centre-stage in the process of governance, Mann said.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.