Ludhiana, April 15 -- Around 1,000 non-teaching employees working under the centrally-sponsored scheme Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Punjab have announced a protest in Dirba, Sangrur, on April 18, alleging a monthly salary cut of Rs.31,000 following recent pay revisions. The employees, many of whom claim to have served the education department for nearly two decades, said the reduction has pushed their families into financial distress. As part of their protest, they plan to leave their children at the residence of Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema as a symbolic gesture. When contacted, the finance minister said the department concerned can comment on the matter. Responding to the issue, school education secretary Sonali Giri said the employees had been regularised and were receiving the probation pay scale applicable to all regular government employees. Rajinder Singh, general secretary of the SSA/MDM Non-Teaching Employees' Union, said the employees have been regularised from 2018, and therefore the probation period should be counted from that year. HTC...