Chandigarh: Facing mounting pressure over pending dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) dues, Punjab’s finance department has directed all administrative departments to immediately assess the financial liability arising from court orders on pay revisions and submit detailed estimates.In a directive issued on Oct 29, the department clarified its earlier instructions of Aug 17, asking departments to account for all connected Punjab and Haryana high court judgments and subsequent Letters Patent Appeals (LPAs).The estimates will help the govt assess the overall burden and make appropriate budgetary provisions. The move follows the case Nirmal Singh Dhanoa vs State of Punjab, filed by retired state govt and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employees seeking DA and DR parity with the central govt under the 6th Punjab Pay Commission.A single-judge bench had earlier quashed the state’s delayed-payment liquidation plan as unconstitutional and ordered the immediate release of pending DA instalments. With contempt proceedings looming, the high court has also pulled up senior officials over compliance.The petitioners had challenged a finance department order withholding pending DA and DR instalments. The latest assessment is intended to establish the total liability across departments to facilitate implementation of the court’s directions.
