Punjab DA Arrears Row: Ministers say employees get higher salaries than Haryana, Gujarat; Watch Video
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 3, 2026: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, along with Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora and Dr. Baljit Kaur, on Thursday defended the state government’s position on the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, saying Punjab spends a significantly higher share of its revenue on employee salaries and pensions compared to the national average. Cheema claimed Punjab employees receive salaries that are 28 per cent higher than those in Gujarat and 13 per cent higher than those in Haryana.
Cheema said around 51 per cent of Punjab’s total revenue goes towards salaries and pensions, against the national average of about 38 per cent.
He further claimed that ₹14,100 crore in DA arrears relate to the previous Akali-BJP and Congress governments, while the present Aam Aadmi Party government has been clearing the outstanding amount in phases. According to him, over ₹4,500 crore has already been paid as per the schedule submitted before the High Court.
AAP Punjab president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora accused the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal of misleading employees over the issue. He said the Congress had made DA-related promises ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections but failed to fulfil them, while the AAP government, he claimed, had chosen to make payments rather than make unfulfilled announcements. Arora urged employees to engage in talks with the government instead of resorting to strikes and said the government was open to discussions on the issue.