Tuesday, November 13, 2012

7% DA HIKE FOR PUNJAB GOVT STAFF, PENSIONERS



13 Nov 2012 Hindustan Times 
CHANDIGARH: In a Diwali bonanza, the Punjab government on Monday hiked dearness allowance (DA) of state government employees and pensioners from 65% to 72% of the revised basic pay with effect from July 1, 2012.
Nearly 5 lakh employees and 1.5 lakh pensioners would benefit from the DA hike.
Finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said the enhanced DA from July 1 to October 31 would be disbursed in two ways — the amount for the first two months (July 1 to August 31) would be deposited into the General Provident Fund account of employees, while the arrears from September 1 to October 31 would be paid in cash. With effect from November 1, the DA would be merged into the employees’ salaries.
Dhindsa said the 7% hike would put an additional liability of Rs 351.63 crore on the state exchequer. For employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004, the enhanced DA from July 1 to August 31 would be paid in the form of national saving certificates or kisan vikas patras.
For pensioners, the amount would be paid in cash. 
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Tribune News Service: Divali bonanza: 7% DA hike for govt staff
Enhanced DA and arrears of grant to aided colleges

Chandigarh, November 12
. . . In a pre-Divali bonanza for its employees and those of aided colleges, the government has announced enhanced dearness allowance and also released arrears for aided colleges.
. . .                    . . .                     . . .
The government has announced enhancing the rate of dearness allowance payable to its employees and pensioners by 7 per cent (up from 65 per cent to 72 per cent) of the revised basic pay, with effect from July 1, 2012. . . .
Besides, the state government has also decided to release arrears of grant worth Rs 450 crore to all aided (government as well as private) colleges. These colleges get 95 per cent grant from the government and the arrears to be released were due since the University Grants Commission (UGC) revised pay scales of college lecturers in 2006. The arrears from January 2006 to November 2010 will be released in a staggered manner over the next one year.
  . . .                    . . .                  . . . 
Payment in two ways
In a press release, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said the enhanced DA due to be given to the employees from July 1, 2012 to October 31, 2012 would be given in two ways. The enhanced DA for the first two months from July 1 to August 31 would be deposited in the general provident fund account whereas the arrear of the DA from September 1 to October 31 would be given in cash, he said, adding from November 1 onwards, the enhanced DA would be merged in the salaries