Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 31
The Manohar Lal Khattar government has failed to announce the release of dearness allowance (DA) instalment for the state government employees with effect from January 1, 2018.
The Centre had announced hike in DA by 2 per cent on March 7. Thereafter, the state government announced hike in DA immediately.
The delay in the release of DA installment has left over three lakh employees and two lakh pensioners in a state of shock at a time when there has been an unprecedented price hike, especially in petrol and diesel prices.
“This has clearly indicated that the state government has been reeling under financial crises. We have approached the officials concerned, but no categorical assurance has been given to us so far,” said Subhash Lamba, general secretary of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh.
The announcement to hike DA is made with effect from January 1 and July 1 every year to compensate the state government employees for price hike.
The employees alleged that besides delay in the DA hike announcement, the interest-free wheat loan to class IV employees, which was usually sanctioned in April, had now been sanctioned in May this year.
Tarun Bhandari, HPCC treasurer, said the delay in the DA hike announcement indicated the ‘anti-employee’ mindset of the Khattar government.
“While Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu claimed that the state’s economy was in the pink of health, the ground situation belied his claims,” he said. Officials of the Finance Department, while admitting delay in the announcement of DA hike, contended that the employees would get arrears with effect from January 1, 2018.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2xt67H4
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