Postal employees working as gramin dak sevaks (GDS) have announced an indefinite strike from March 25, demanding their inclusion in the 8th Pay Commission. The decision was taken during a state-level meeting held in Ludhiana under the banner of the All India Gramin Dak Sevaks Union, where union leaders from across Punjab gathered to discuss their long-pending demands. The strike is expected to severely disrupt rural postal services across Punjab, affecting services such as money orders, banking transactions, and direct benefit transfers (DBT) of social welfare schemes. (HT Photo) Ajaib Singh, general secretary of the All India Gramin Dak Sevaks Union, Ludhiana, emphasised that GDS workers play a significant role in the rural postal network, yet they remain excluded from direct benefits under the central pay commissions. Instead, their service conditions are reviewed by separate committees, whose recommendations are allegedly delayed and inadequately implemented. During the meeting, state secretary Jagtar Singh said the GDS workforce would not accept another separate review committee this time. “Gramin dak sevaks must be directly included in the 8th Pay …