The Punjab Government has moved the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order on payment of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to state government employees, seeking relief in view of the state’s financial position.
The move comes after the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in its August 3 order, directed the Punjab Government to clear the pending DA dues of government employees. Challenging the order before the Supreme Court, the state government has sought permission to continue clearing the arrears in a phased manner.
The government has told the Supreme Court that it is willing to ensure take-home salaries of Punjab government employees at par with those of Central Government employees. At the same time, it has maintained that the overall salary structure of Punjab government employees is already higher than that of Central government employees.
The state has also placed its financial burden before the apex court, pointing out that around 51 per cent of Punjab’s revenue receipts are spent on salaries and pensions. According to the government, the corresponding average across India is around 38 per cent, highlighting the comparatively high expenditure burden faced by Punjab.
The government has further submitted that it has already been making payments towards the pending DA dues in a phased manner. It has sought the Supreme Court’s permission to continue with the same approach so that the outstanding amount can be cleared without putting an excessive financial burden on the state exchequer.
