Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Aug 4: The Punjab government on Monday defended its salary structure for employees, stating that many state government staff continue to receive significantly higher monthly salaries than their counterparts in the Central government despite receiving a lower rate of Dearness Allowance (DA).
The clarification came after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the state government to clear the pending DA arrears of employees and pensioners within a fortnight.
In an official statement, the Punjab government said several employee categories receive salaries that are 30 to 70 per cent higher than those under the Central government's pay structure.
According to the state, while Punjab currently provides DA at 42 per cent compared to the Centre's 60 per cent, its higher basic pay scales result in greater overall monthly earnings for many employees.
The government reiterated that it is committed to ensuring that no employee receives less than the total emoluments payable under the Central government pay scale along with the applicable Central DA.
However, it maintained that the higher Central DA rate cannot be applied to Punjab's already enhanced pay scales, arguing that the two pay structures are distinct and cannot be combined.
The state also asserted that the fixation of Dearness Allowance is a sovereign policy decision of the state government.
According to the statement, Punjab already bears the highest salary and pension burden among major Indian states, and implementation of the High Court's order is expected to further increase the financial strain, leaving less fiscal space for capital investment and developmental expenditure.
To support its claim, the government cited salary comparisons between Punjab and the Centre. It said a clerk employed by the Punjab government receives a monthly salary of Rs 54,812 compared to Rs 36,960 for a Central government clerk. Similarly, a driver in Punjab earns Rs 40,612 per month against Rs 36,960 under the Central government pay structure.
The Punjab government maintained that its overall compensation package remains more favourable for employees despite the lower DA percentage.