Punjab 8% DA hike will increase the Dearness Allowance for state government employees and pensioners from October, with two instalments of 4% each taking the DA rate to 50%.
The decision follows weeks of discussions and protests over pending employee demands.
The announcement is expected to benefit around four lakh employees and 3.5 lakh pensioners in the state. The enhanced DA will be reflected in the salary payable in October.
Punjab 8% DA Hike: What Employees Get
The two 4% instalments together account for an 8% increase in DA. The revised rate will take the allowance from 42% to 50% for Punjab government employees and pensioners.
The decision came after a meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, ministers and representatives of employee and pensioner organisations.
The government said the move was intended to address immediate concerns while discussions on other demands continue.
The DA decision follows a period of agitation by state employees. Workers had been seeking the release of pending DA instalments and other service-related demands.
When Will the Higher DA Be Paid?
The enhanced DA will be applicable from October, with the benefit reflected in the salary payable in October.
The two instalments represent 4% each.
The government has also indicated that discussions on other long-pending demands will continue.
These include issues relating to the Old Pension Scheme, probation-period salaries and certain allowances.
The DA increase is separate from the dispute over older DA arrears.
The issue of pending arrears has been the subject of legal proceedings and remains unresolved.
Why Punjab Employees Were Protesting
The announcement followed weeks of tension between employee organisations and the state government.
Employees had been pressing for pending DA payments as well as action on several service-related issues.
A mass casual leave protest was held by government employees in August after earlier talks failed to resolve the differences.
The government and employee representatives subsequently returned to negotiations.
The latest agreement provides immediate relief through the 8% DA increase, while other demands are to be discussed in further meetings.
Other Demands Still Under Discussion
Employee representatives have also raised demands concerning restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, changes to the separate pay structure for employees recruited after July 17, 2020, and full salary during the probation period.
The government has agreed to discuss these issues separately. The payment of older DA arrears is also a separate matter and has not been settled by the latest 8% increase.
Punjab 8% DA hike therefore gives employees and pensioners a higher allowance from October, while several other demands and the dispute over earlier arrears remain under discussion.
