New Delhi, Nov. 5 -- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday announced a three percentage-point increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners as a Diwali gift. The revision will take effect from November 1 and be reflected in salaries and pensions paid in December. Nearly eight lakh employees and pensioners are expected to benefit.

In a post on X, Mann said the latest increase would take DA to 53%, compared with 28% when his government assumed office in 2022. He said the announcement would provide employees an annual financial benefit of approximately Rs.3,988 crore.

The latest three percentage-point revision follows an eight percentage-point increase announced ...