Punjab DA Hike 2026: Bhagwant Mann Announces 3% DA Increase for 8 Lakh Employees
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann announces a 3% DA hike for 8 lakh employees and pensioners ahead of Diwali, taking the allowance to 53% after an 11% increase in two months.
Following the latest revision, the total Dearness Allowance has increased to 53%. Recalling the situation when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government came to power in Punjab in 2022, Mann said the DA rate stood at just 28% at that time.
The government has increased DA by a total of 11% over the past two months. This includes the latest 3% hike and an earlier increase of 8%, taking the overall DA rate to 53%.
Speaking about employment, the Chief Minister claimed that his government had provided 71,777 new government jobs to young people on the basis of complete transparency and merit. He also assured employees that the government's doors would always remain open to discuss their demands and grievances. Employees can approach the government at any time to raise their concerns.
Several states have also announced Dearness Allowance hikes ahead of Diwali. These include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Among them, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a 3% increase in DA, while Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have each announced a 2% hike.
Central Government Announces 3% Dearness Allowance Hike
Earlier, the Central Government officially approved a 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR), taking the rate to 63%.
The decision was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The Cabinet also cleared development and welfare packages worth a total of Rs 29,267 crore.
With the latest announcement, Punjab has joined several other states in providing additional financial relief to government employees and pensioners ahead of Diwali. The increase takes Punjab's DA rate to 53%, compared with the 28% recorded when the AAP government assumed office in 2022.

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