Employees object to silence on arrears in DA hike notification
Employee unions have expressed resentment over the Punjab government's notification regarding a 3 percent hike in dearness allowance for not clarifying the status of arrears. They have also questioned calling this hike a 'Diwali gift'.
Following the Punjab government's announcement of a 3 percent increase in dearness allowance (DA) for employees and pensioners, the finance department has issued a notification. However, employee unions have expressed dissatisfaction due to the lack of clarity regarding the payment of arrears in this notification.
Sahil Sharma, general secretary of the Punjab Civil Secretariat Employees Union, said that the government has neither mentioned any arrears for the latest 3 percent hike in the notification nor clarified anything about the arrears for the 8 percent hike announced in September.
According to Sahil Sharma, the latest 3 percent installment was due from July 1, 2024. He stated that despite the hikes over the past two months, 10 percent of DA is still pending for employees compared to the central government.
He said that whenever DA is increased, the notification contains a clear breakdown of arrears, but the current government has maintained silence on this matter during both recent revisions. He expressed apprehension that the state government wants to separate DA from the central government's pattern.
Employee leaders also objected to terming this hike a 'Diwali gift'. They said that employees are only being given their due rights and if the government wanted to give a gift, it should have announced a bonus.
Notably, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had announced a 3 percent increase in DA for Punjab employees and pensioners, which has raised the DA in the state from 50 percent to 53 percent. According to the government, this hike will be effective from November 1 and will be received with the salaries and pensions of December.
Key developments
- Formal notification of 3 percent DA hike issued by the finance department.
- Employee unions allege no mention of past arrears payment in the notification.
- Questions raised by employees over calling the DA hike a 'Diwali gift'.
- DA rate in the state increased from 50 to 53 percent following the Chief Minister's announcement.
