DA hike news: Punjab announces 4% increase in dearness allowance for govt employees Details here

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance for government employees. With this, the DA has increased from 34 per cent to 38 per cent with effect from December 1. This will benefit 3.25 lakh employees and 3.50 lakh pensioners in the state.

In a post on social media platform X, Mann said, "Had a meeting with the representatives of Punjab State Ministerial Service Union today and discussed their issues in detail ... Sharing the good news that we are going to give a new year gift to the employees...DA is increased by 4% which will be considered effective from 1st December 2023." 

After the meeting, PSMSU president Amrik Singh said the chief minister announced giving 4 per cent DA to state government employees. The chief minister has assured that the remaining 8 per cent DA will also be given, he added.

The dearness allowance for employees and pensioners is worked out based on the latest Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) brought out by the Labour Bureau every month.

On the issue of restoration of the old pension scheme, Mann said the state government will flag this issue with the Union government, PTI reported.

In a statement, Mann said a meeting will be arranged with the Secretary, Finance, Government of India to further push up the case.

The employees had been demanding implementation of the old pension scheme, release of pending 12 per cent DA and regularisation of contractual employees.