Dhillon calls 8% DA hike first victory of employees
Chandigarh, September 18, 2026: Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon has described the Punjab Government’s decision to grant an 8% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) to employees as the first victory of the employees’ prolonged agitation. The Punjab Government announced the 8% DA increase in two instalments of 4% each, taking the DA rate for employees and pensioners to 50%. In a statement, Dhillon said the prolonged protests had compelled the government to respond to employees’ demands. He alleged that the government had remained indifferent to their issues, leaving employees with no option but to intensify their agitation.
Demand for pending DA arrears
Dhillon also demanded that the government announce the payment of 60% outstanding DA arrears, following the Central Government pattern. He further urged the government to address the remaining demands of employees and take steps for their early resolution.
Employees had staged protests
Punjab government employees had held a major protest rally in Chandigarh on August 7 over several demands, including DA payments. On August 27, employees went on collective leave as part of their agitation, affecting government office functioning.
The government later withdrew show-cause notices issued to protesting employees, following which the employees called off their agitation. Recent reports confirm that the prolonged standoff over DA and other service-related demands culminated in the government announcing the 8% hike.
