Punjab Opposition Leader Calls for Salary Freeze Until DA Dues Are Paid
Stop salaries till DA dues cleared: Punjab LoP Bajwa in House
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of Opposition in Punjab, has proposed halting salaries for top officials, including the Chief Minister and MLAs, until the state clears pending dearness allowance dues for approximately 7.5 lakh government employees and pensioners. He also urged for an increase in the minimum wage for workers to match neighboring Haryana's rates.
- 01Bajwa demands salary freeze for top officials until DA dues are cleared.
- 02Approximately 7.5 lakh employees and pensioners are awaiting dearness allowance payments.
- 03Minimum wage in Punjab is significantly lower than in Haryana.
- 04Bajwa advocates for utilizing the ₹1,200 crore welfare fund for construction workers.
- 05Chief Minister acknowledges low registration of construction workers.
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During a recent assembly session, Partap Singh Bajwa (Leader of Opposition in Punjab) urged the state government to suspend salaries for the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs, and senior officials until the pending dearness allowance (DA) dues for 7.5 lakh government employees and pensioners are cleared. Despite a court order mandating the release of these dues, many employees remain unpaid. Bajwa highlighted the disparity in minimum wages, noting that Punjab's daily wage of ₹400 (approximately $4.80) is far below Haryana's ₹18,500 (approximately $220) per month. He called for an increase to at least ₹19,000 (approximately $230) monthly. Additionally, he proposed that the ₹1,200 crore (approximately $144 million) Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund should be utilized for the benefit of registered construction workers. In response, the Chief Minister acknowledged the low registration rates of construction workers and requested Bajwa's assistance in improving this situation.
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If the government acts on Bajwa's proposal, it could expedite the payment of DA dues, directly benefiting thousands of employees and pensioners in Punjab.
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