Chandigarh, April 18
Bharatiya Janata Party’s state president Sunil Jakhar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 2 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners. He urged the Punjab AAP government to immediately raise DA for lakhs of state employees and release pending dues.
In a message shared on social media, Jakhar expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that after the latest hike, central government employees will now receive DA at the rate of 60%. In contrast, the Punjab government is providing only 42% DA to its employees, with several installments still pending.
Jakhar added that even the High Court has stated that DA is the rightful entitlement of employees. Therefore, the government should immediately increase the DA rate and release pending dues, including approximately ₹15,000 crore related to delayed DA payments and pay commission arrears.
Jakhar emphasized that employees are a crucial part of any government, as they are responsible for implementing policies and programs at the grassroots level. If they receive their full salaries on time, they can perform their duties more effectively.
Jakhar criticized the Punjab government, alleging that due to poor financial management, it is failing to provide employees with their rightful dues. He pointed out that after the recent hike, the gap in DA between central and Punjab government employees has widened to 18%. He also noted that neighboring states like Haryana and Rajasthan are providing full DA to their employees.
Jakhar concluded by stating that instead of spending public money on advertisements and political rallies, the Punjab government should prioritize paying its employees their rightful dues without delay.
