Chandigarh, Oct 29 Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Thursday said if his party comes to power after the 2027 Assembly elections, the government employees will receive dearness allowance in line with the Central government rates.
He also accused the Bhagwant Mann government of denying state government employees their rightful dues, despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s direction to release pending dearness allowance to its employees and pensioners.
On August 3, the high court directed the Punjab government to release dearness allowance and dearness relief dues to state employees and pensioners at the rates paid to the All India Services (IAS/IPS/IFS) officers serving in the state.
On September 1, the Punjab government filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the high court order.
In September, the state government announced a raise in dearness allowance from 42 to 50 per cent.
On October 28, the Centre approved a 3 per cent increase in dearness allowance and dearness relief for Central government employees and pensioners, from the existing rate of 60 per cent.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision, Dhillon said, “If the BJP comes to power in Punjab, the state government employees would also receive dearness allowance at the rate of 63 per cent.”
Claiming that nearly eight lakh state employees and pensioners were protesting to demand their dues, Dhillon accused the government of remaining adamant despite their concerns.
He said a BJP government would ensure that pending dearness allowance arrears are paid to state employees.
(PTI News)
