Diwali Bonanza: Punjab CM Channi Announces 11% Hike In Dearness Allowance Ahead Of Polls

The Punjab government has offered pre-poll bonanza to state employees and pensioners. The state cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday declared its decision to hike Dearness Allowance (DA) by 11 percent. The DA has now been increased from the existing 17 per cent to 28 per cent, with effect from July 1, 2021.

Addressing the media shortly after the Cabinet meeting, CM Channi said that employees are the backbone of the state administration and reiterated his government's firm commitment to accord the highest priority to their welfare.

Following this decision, Channi said the state government would have to bear an additional monthly burden of Rs.440 crore on account of enhanced DA. He also said that the state government has resolved most of the employees' issues to their satisfaction and as a result, the latter have called off their strike and resumed work with immediate effect.

The CM also announced that the employees’ who were recruited after January 1, 2016 would also be given the benefit of a minimum 15 per cent increase in the revised pay at par with other employees. However, the pay of junior employees would not be fixed higher than that of their seniors while fixing the revised pay.

Channi further pointed out that the representatives of various employees associations have assured him that they would not follow the path of agitation and instead try to resolve their issues and demands through mutual discussions across the table.

Meanwhile, the decks have been cleared for the establishment of Lamrin Tech Skills University Punjab at Railmajra, Balachaur, SBS Nagar and Plaksha University Punjab at IT City, SAS Nagar with the Punjab Cabinet’s approval for conversion of Ordinances into Bills.

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the Cabinet also gave approval to place these Bills in the forthcoming session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.