Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday announced a 3% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Punjab Government employees and pensioners as a Diwali gift, taking the DA from 28% in 2022 to 53% under his government. With the enhanced DA/DR set to reflect in December salaries and pensions, the announcement marks an 11 percentage-point increase within just two months, benefiting over 8 lakh employees and pensioners. The Chief Minister said that unlike previous governments which frequently cited empty treasuries, his government had prioritised employee welfare and ensured that financial constraints never became an excuse for withholding their rightful benefits
Taking to X, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated: “Today, as a major Diwali gift to nearly 8 lakh employees and pensioners of Punjab, we have announced a 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA). With this, the DA has risen to 53%, providing employees with an annual financial benefit of approximately ₹3,988 crore. Employees are the backbone of our government, and we are fully committed to their welfare, rights and overall well-being. Heartiest Diwali greetings to all employees and their families.”
During a press conference, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann acknowledged the immense contribution of government employees and pensioners to the state’s administration and public service. “Employees and pensioners are members of the Punjab Government family and are the backbone of the administrative machinery. They are performing their duties with dedication and commitment to address the grievances of the common people, maintain law and order and implement various welfare schemes,” he said.
The Chief Minister noted, “The success we have achieved in implementing numerous public welfare schemes has been possible largely due to the invaluable contribution of our employees,” he added.
The Chief Minister sincerely thanked all employees for their dedicated service and highlighted the government’s recruitment initiatives. “Our government has undertaken the largest-ever recruitment drive in government departments over the past four years and nine months. We have provided 71,777 government jobs to our youth purely on merit, without any bribery or recommendation,” he said.
“I have always preferred dialogue to address the pending demands of employees, and our doors remain open for them at all times,” he added.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the announcement would bring particular joy to nearly 8 lakh employees and pensioners of Punjab. “It is a particularly joyful day for nearly 8 lakh employees and pensioners of Punjab. As a Diwali gift, they are getting an additional 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners,” he said.
“This increase will come into effect from November 1, and the salaries and pensions to be paid in December will include the enhanced DA/DR of 3%. With this increase, the DA in Punjab has risen from 50% to 53%. When we assumed office in 2022, government employees were receiving DA at the rate of just 28%,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that his government has consistently increased DA since assuming office in 2022. “From 2022 till date, the state government has increased DA by 25 percentage points. Just two months ago, in September, an 8% increase in DA was announced. This is for the first time that any government has increased DA by 11 percentage points within a span of just two months,” he said.
“The cumulative increase of 11 percentage points will benefit employees and pensioners by ₹1,813 crore during the current financial year,” he added.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that when the state government assumed office in 2022, a substantial financial liability relating to the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission was already pending. “The benefits of the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission were supposed to be implemented with effect from January 1, 2016, but its recommendations were implemented only in July 2021. Consequently, arrears amounting to approximately ₹14,191 crore had accumulated for the period from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2021,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that his government had systematically addressed this long-pending financial liability and prepared a phased payment plan to clear the outstanding arrears of ₹14,191 crore. “We gave priority to pensioners, and their arrears were released on April 1, 2025. The arrears of serving government employees have started being released from April 1, 2026,” he said.
“So far, arrears amounting to ₹4,891 crore have been released, and the remaining ₹9,300 crore will also be paid,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added.
