Is Punjab govt doing step motherly treatment towards State Professional Universities staff in giving DA installment?
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
In a significant decision, the Punjab Cabinet has decided to give 6% Dearness Allowance (DA) to government employees and pensioners, with effect from October 1,2022. The decision, which will benefit lakhs employees and pensioners, was approved by the Cabinet . The Punjab Council of Ministers opined that the employees were a critical segment of the state administration and safeguarding their interests was the government’s top priority.
After the cabinet decision, the state finance department issues the notification of giving 6 per cent installment of DA to government employees and pensioners, with effect from October 1,2022.
In the issued notification no copy is forwarded to many universities of the state. This act of the state finance department has created confusion, resentment amongst the staff, and faculty of the leftover state universities. Due to Diwali holidays the staff, faculty of the state universities are in dilemma as they are not in a position to clarify the issue whether they will get the enhanced DA or not.
Punjab has 14 state universities namely Punjabi University, Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab Agriculture University, Baba Farid university of Health Sciences, IKG Punjab Technical university, MRS Punjab Technical University, Guru Ravidas Ayurved University, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University (PSOU), Sri Guru Teg Bahadur State University of Law, Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University , Sardar Beant Singh State University besides Panjab University.
The state finance department 6 percent DA notification has missed all the professional universities namely MRSPTU, IKGPTU, Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University , Sardar Beant Singh State University , Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University (PSOU), Sri Guru Teg Bahadur State University of Law.
To an utter surprise, the state government in its notification has forwarded the letter of enhancing 6 percent DA, to the Registrar, Dr BR Ambedkar Technical University, Jalandhar which is a central government institute. It has nothing to do with the Punjab government.
A vice chancellor of the state university on the condition of anonymity said “this shows the lackadaisical behavior of the working of the government staff. It’s a festival time and this notification has become a bane for the left over university staff and faculty to celebrate the festival of lights with double enthusiasm.”
Another technical university staff on the condition of anonymity said, “this is the second time the state government has maltreated with us. Earlier, when the state government announces the implementation of seventh pay commission, our fraternity was left. This time again the state government left us.”
Is Punjab govt doing step motherly treatment towards State Professional University staff in giving DA installment? . On this issue when contacted the principal secretary finance, Ajoy Kumar Sinha, IAS he said “I don’t about this. The notification is issued by the below office staff. Now you have brought this into my notice, I’ll look into it.”
Punjab govt issues notification of 6 per cent installment of DA
October 21,2022
