The employees of the Punjab government are the highest-paid among all the government servants in the country, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed on Thursday.”If the Centre pays Rs 30,000 to Rs 32,000 to an employee, the Punjab government pays Rs 50,000. It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the state government pays the highest salary to its employees, who are its backbone,” Mann said here.His statement came on a day when Punjab government employees went on a statewide strike to press the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime to accept their demands, including releasing the pending dearness allowance.More than 150 employees’ bodies under the banner of Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch joined hands for the “maha hartal”, with over three lakh employees joining the stir, affecting public services.The protesting employees have been demanding the release of the pending 18-per cent dearness allowance (DA), the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and regularisation of contractual employees. They said despite repeated assurances, the state government has “failed” to address their long-pending demands.At the event in Jalandhar, Mann handed over appointment letters to 1,746 youngsters joining the Punjab Police. He said 13,092 personnel have been added to the police force in the last four years and a half, with the recruitment of another 3,298 constables underway, while 70,840 youngsters have so far been given government jobs on merit under the “No Cash, No Farmaish” (no money, no recommendation) principle.Alongside expanding the force, the Punjab government has also approved 1,600 new district-cadre posts of inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, to be filled through departmental promotions, underscoring its focus on strengthening the force while protecting Punjab’s hard-earned peace and tackling emerging challenges, including threats of unrest and terrorism and road safety.Addressing a gathering during the passing-out parade of 1,746 newly-recruited constables at the PAP Ground, Phillaur, Mann congratulated the recruits on becoming an integral part of the Punjab Police family and called upon them to serve people with dedication, professionalism and missionary zeal.He said Punjab takes pride in providing the best possible remuneration to its employees, who are the backbone of the state administration.Mann said the government has so far provided jobs to 70,840 youngsters purely on the basis of merit, with the selection process being completely transparent and free from corruption or recommendations.”Several young candidates have successfully secured government jobs multiple times in different departments, which reflects the credibility and competitiveness of our recruitment process. Our government has succeeded in creating employment opportunities for youngsters in every village, town and city of Punjab,” he said.The Punjab Police has a unique responsibility, the chief minister added.”Everyone knows that the Punjab Police is not only the police force of a state, but it works for the country, safeguarding the 553-kilometre border along with a hostile neighbour,” he said.Mann said the Punjab Police has always discharged its responsibilities of protecting the country’s unity and integrity, and maintaining peace in Punjab with dedication.”Punjab had suffered a blot in the form of drugs but now, we are fighting against drug terrorism. More than 70,000 drug smugglers have been put behind bars in the last more than 500 days. The properties of drug peddlers involved in this heinous crime against humanity are being confiscated and demolished,” he said.