Staff on deputation threaten protest over DA issue

Employees of Punjab and Haryana governments working on deputation with the Chandigarh Administration have decided to hold daily protest from January 28 against the UT Administration for not giving 53% dearness allowance (DA) to them.

Their concern

Employees from Punjab and Haryana who are working on deputation in Chandigarh Administration say they have not been given the increased 53% dearness allowance (DA) for the last two years.

Ranvir Jhorar, president, Chandigarh UT Employees Welfare Association (Deputationist), stated that the employees who had come on deputation from Punjab and Haryana to the Chandigarh Administration are not being given the increased 53% DA for the last two years. After January 2023, their DA has been frozen without any reason and they are being given only 38 per cent DA, whereas they should be given 53% DA.

“With 38% DA given for two years, arrears of about Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh of each employee are pending with the department,” he said, adding that they had several times requested the administration to release the DA, but to no avail.

Jhorar said due to the administration’s indifference, they had decided to continuously stage dharnas and demonstrations from January 28 so that their demands can reach Chief Ministers of the two states as well as the Administrator of Chandigarh and Governor of Punjab and justice can be done to them.