Chandigarh, Punjab government will raise the Dearness Allowance of around 85,000 government employees recruited after July 17, 2020 by 18 per cent to 60 per cent, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said on Friday.Speaking to mediapersons here, Arora said a recommendation in this regard was made by the Cabinet Sub-Committee formed to examine the issues of employees.The announcement is significant as employees recruited after July 17, 2020 were getting a pay equivalent to the Central pay scales, along with 42 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA). These were much lower than the pay scales of employees recruited before July 2020, who were paid as per the Punjab Pay Commission.Arora said there were two pay scales in Punjab, which was leading to conflicting interests and confusion: the Punjab basic pay scales and the one equivalent to the Central basic pay scales (as per the 7th Central Pay Commission).“Punjab basic pay scales, which traditionally are higher, range from 30 to 70 per cent more than the Central basic pay. And when DA is added to it, which is currently 42 per cent, the salary increases much above the Central pay scales,” he said.“When we calculate and compare, even with 60 per cent DA added to Central basic pay, the Punjab pay scales and take-home salaries are higher,” he said.Arora said the previous Congress government had decided to hire employees on the Central pay scales after July 17, 2020.In the last six years, 85,000 employees have been recruited.The Mann government will give them a “Janmashtami gift” as the three-member Cabinet Sub-Committee has decided that the DA of these employees will be raised from 42 to 60 per cent. The committee’s recommendation will be sent to the chief minister, Arora said.He, however, said that this hike will not benefit employees recruited before July 2020.“From day one, the Bhagwant Mann government has been talking about the welfare of every section. We cannot imagine good governance without our employees,” he said.
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The development comes amid over 3 lakh government employees, who went on a statewide strike on August 27, pressing the state government to accept their various demands, including the release of their pending 18 per cent DA.They have also threatened to go on mass casual leave on September 8 if the state government does not withdraw a recent notice imposing disciplinary action against those who remained on “unauthorised absence” on August 27.The employees have given the state government time till September 7 to withdraw the notice issued to protesting employees.Punjab government on Thursday appealed to employee unions to engage with it through dialogue rather than confrontation, calling employees the backbone of good governance.
