Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has urged the state government to immediately release the dearness allowance (DA) for over three lakh employees and four lakh pensioners. In a statement, Sidhu said that the employees and pensioners have been waiting for their DA for a long time, and the delay is causing them financial hardship.
Financial Strain on Employees and Pensioners
The Congress leader highlighted that the DA arrears have been pending since July 2021, and the state government should release them at the earliest. He added that the employees and pensioners are facing difficulties due to rising inflation and the non-payment of DA is adding to their woes.
Sidhu also criticized the state government for not fulfilling its promise of providing a 10 percent DA hike to the employees. He said that the government should prioritize the welfare of its employees and pensioners over other expenses.
Government's Response
In response, the state government has said that it is considering the demand and will take a decision soon. However, no timeline has been given for the release of the DA.
The issue has been a contentious one in Punjab, with employee unions also demanding the release of DA. The unions have threatened to go on strike if their demands are not met.
