Punjab govt hikes 3 pc DA for employees pensioners

Chandigarh, Nov 4 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced a 3 per cent hike in dearness allowance for state government employees and pensioners.

    Addressing the media here, Mann said this decision will benefit around 8 lakh government employees and pensioners.

    With the 3 per cent hike, the total DA rate reached 53 per cent.

    "A Diwali gift is being given from the state government to eight lakh employees and pensioners. A 3 per cent instalment of DA will be released," Mann told reporters here.

    Mann said when the AAP government came to power, the DA rate was 28 per cent.

    "Now the DA rate has increased to 53 per cent," he added.

    The chief minister said his government raised the DA rate by 11 per cent within two months. Earlier, it had increased by 8 per cent.

    He further said 71,777 new government jobs have been given on the merit basis.

    "The doors are always open for the demands of employees, and they can come at any time and discuss," Mann added.

    Replying to a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holding a rally in Sangrur, Mann said everybody has a right to hold rallies.

    On an ED raid on the Moga MLA, he said raids by the central agencies reflect that the elections are on time.

    "They use their weapons near elections. Let them conduct raids. We are confident that they will not find anything," said Mann as he targeted the BJP government.

    About the stubble burning issue, Mann said Punjab has no role in pollution in the national capital and Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa knows this.

    They just try to defame, he added.

    Sirsa on Tuesday slammed the AAP government over the issue of stubble burning.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)