Chandigarh, September 5: The Punjab government has outlined steps to streamline allowances for newly added personnel, advancing a Cabinet Sub-Committee proposal to raise dearness allowance from 42 per cent to 60 per cent for 85,000 employees. Industries Minister Aman Arora declared the outcome of the committee’s review, which was instituted to study pay structures and employee feedback across departments. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Social Security Minister Dr Baljit Kaur also served on the panel that drafted the recommendation.
The targeted relief focuses on personnel recruited after mid-July 2020 who were aligned with Central pay standards. Arora asserted that the measure directly addresses long-standing anomalies between different recruitment cadres. He stated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann tasked the ministerial body with finding practical solutions to balance staff pay frameworks, noting that the decision will soon reach the Chief Minister’s desk for executive endorsement.
The state administration remains dedicated to maintaining active communication channels with all employee groups. Earlier this week, cabinet members reiterated the government’s openness to open dialogue with union representatives and retired staff to thoughtfully evaluate all pending service matters.
