Punjab BJP Vows to Clear Pending DA Dues if Elected to Power

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar says all pending Dearness Allowance dues and arrears will be cleared if the party forms the next government in the state

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar has said in straight talk, that all the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) dues for government employees and pensioners will be cleared if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in the state. This promise is coming at a time when the unpaid DA arrears issue has turned into a big political as well as financial problem for lakhs of people working in Punjab.

While talking about it, Jakhar accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government of not releasing the amounts that employees and pensioners, are legally meant to receive. He added that DA is not some favor or charity, but a proper entitlement earned by government workers for years of service. As per BJP leaders, over three lakh employees and about four lakh pensioners are being hit because of delays in DA payments.

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The controversy really picked up steam after the Punjab and Haryana High Court told the state government to release those pending DA installments and related arrears. Since then it has kind of turned into a major political talking point, where opposition parties say the state government is overlooking employee welfare ,while putting money and attention elsewhere. Some reports claim the total outstanding liability is running into many thousands of crores, so it is basically one of the largest financial headaches for the state administration. Jakhar also stressed the gap between the DA Punjab employees have received and what central government employees are getting. He said that after the Centre’s latest hike, central staff are now receiving DA at a higher rate, while Punjab employees are still waiting, for both the refreshed rates and the pending arrears. He urged the state government to step in right away and fix it ,rather than dragging the matter through more court proceedings.

The BJP leader said that if his party is elected to power, employee welfare will be among its top priorities. He assured government workers and pensioners that the party would work toward clearing all pending dues and also ensuring prompt execution of future DA revisions. This promise is expected to hit home with a large chunk of Punjab’s government workforce ahead of the upcoming electoral contests. As political parties start gearing up for the next round of elections, the DA issue is likely to stay a key campaign subject. With lakhs of employees as well as pensioners waiting for relief , the back and forth over pending arrears could end up becoming a crucial part of Punjab’s political storyline in the coming months.