The increase will take the dearness allowance to 53 per cent, benefiting nearly 8 lakh people in the state.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a 3 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners on Wednesday. According to reports from Mint and The Indian Express, the hike is intended as a Diwali gift for nearly 8 lakh beneficiaries.
The new rate will bring the total DA to 53 per cent. This follows an 8 per cent increase announced in September, marking a cumulative rise of 11 percentage points over two months. The revision will take effect from November 1 and will be reflected in the salaries and pensions paid in December.
Mann stated that the announcement would provide an annual financial benefit of approximately Rs 3,988 crore. He described employees and pensioners as the backbone of the administrative machinery and members of the government family.
Addressing outstanding liabilities, the Chief Minister said the government has a phased plan to clear Sixth Punjab Pay Commission arrears. He noted that pensioners would receive their arrears from April 1, 2025, while payments for serving employees would begin from April 1, 2026.
The Chief Minister also highlighted that his government has provided 71,777 jobs on merit over the last four years and nine months. He added that he prioritises dialogue to address the pending demands of employees.
