The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised to raise Dearness Allowance (DA) for Punjab government employees to 63% if it comes to power in the state, positioning the issue as a major point of contention ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon announced the commitment on Thursday following the Centre’s decision to increase DA for central government employees by three percentage points. Dhillon said a BJP government would bring the allowance for state employees in line with the revised central government rate and clear outstanding arrears. The announcement comes as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government faces continuing criticism from employee unions over delayed payments and demands for parity with central government staff.

Welcoming the Centre’s latest DA revision, Dhillon accused the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of failing to meet the legitimate demands of Punjab government employees and pensioners. He said state employees had not received the revised allowance at the same rate as their central government counterparts. The BJP leader maintained that employees should receive benefits comparable to those available to central government staff and pledged that the party would address the issue if elected. His announcement seeks to draw attention to a dispute that has remained unresolved despite protests, negotiations and legal proceedings. The BJP has also promised that pending DA arrears would be paid under its government, although the announcement did not provide a detailed implementation schedule or explain how the additional expenditure would be financed.

Dhillon claimed that nearly eight lakh government employees were affected by the dispute and were agitating over their outstanding dues. The controversy centres on the difference between the allowance paid to Punjab government employees and the rate applicable to central government staff. DA is intended to help government employees offset the effects of inflation on their household expenses, while Dearness Relief serves a similar purpose for pensioners. Employee organisations have been pressing the Punjab government to release arrears and revise the allowance. The BJP has sought to turn these demands into an electoral issue, arguing that the state administration has not adequately addressed employees’ concerns. The proposed 63% rate is therefore a central part of its latest appeal to government workers ahead of the next Assembly polls.

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The dispute has also reached the courts. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has been hearing matters concerning the payment of pending DA and Dearness Relief to state employees and pensioners. On October 27, the court imposed costs of Rs 1 lakh on the Punjab government in connection with the arrears dispute and directed Chief Secretary KAP Sinha to appear personally on November 3. The state government has challenged the matter before the Supreme Court through a Special Leave Petition. Dhillon alleged that the petition had not yet been taken up for hearing and criticised the state government’s handling of the issue. The legal proceedings have added pressure on the administration as employee groups continue to demand the payment of their dues and implementation of the court’s directions.

The AAP government has previously defended its position by pointing to Punjab’s financial constraints and the overall compensation package available to its employees. In September, state ministers said the government was prepared to consider salary parity with central government employees, including DA, while arguing that comparisons should take account of basic pay and total remuneration rather than the allowance percentage alone. The state has also maintained that its financial obligations must be balanced against spending on public services and development. The competing positions have left employees awaiting a resolution, with unions continuing to raise concerns about arrears and the difference between state and central rates. The BJP’s latest promise adds another political dimension to the dispute, while the state government faces demands to clarify how it intends to address the outstanding payments.

Beyond the DA issue, Dhillon highlighted several Centre-backed initiatives that he said could support Punjab’s economy. These included a proposed sports goods manufacturing scheme that could benefit industrial units in Jalandhar, a container manufacturing promotion scheme aimed at supporting exporters, and the Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana for rural governance. He argued that these initiatives could strengthen manufacturing, improve export competitiveness and support development in villages across the state. However, the immediate focus of the BJP’s announcement remained its commitment to a 63% DA rate and the clearance of pending arrears. With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the dispute is likely to remain an important issue in the political contest, particularly among government employees and pensioners seeking clarity on when their outstanding benefits will be paid.

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