Punjab Government Announces Arrears Payment for Employees and Pensioners
Chandigarh, February 18, 2025( ਜਾਬਸ ਆਫ ਟੁਡੇ)The Punjab government has announced a plan to pay the arrears of revised pay, pension, family pension, and leave encashment to state government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners. The arrears, based on the 6th Punjab Pay Commission, cover the period from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2021.
Pensioners and Family Pensioners
- Aged 85 and above: Pensioners and family pensioners aged 85 years and above as of October 1, 2024, and deceased family pensioners will receive their arrears in two equal monthly installments in February and March 2025.
- Aged 75 to below 85: Pensioners and family pensioners aged 75 years but below 85 years as of October 1, 2024, and deceased pensioners will receive their arrears in 12 equal monthly installments from April 2025 to March 2026.
- Aged below 75: Pensioners and family pensioners below the age of 75 will receive their arrears in 42 monthly installments. The installments will be paid in three phases:
- 15 installments starting from April 2025 for the years 2016 and 2017.
- 18 installments starting from July 2026 for the years 2018 and 2019.
- 9 installments starting from January 2028 for the years 2020 and 2021 (up to June 30, 2021).
- Leave Encashment: Arrears of revised leave encashment for government employees who retired between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2021, will be paid in four equal six-monthly installments in April 2025, October 2025, April 2026, and October 2026.
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Government Employees
- Revised Pay: Arrears of revised pay, including DA arrears, will be paid in 36 monthly installments:
- 12 installments starting from April 2026 for the year 2016.
- 24 installments starting from April 2027 for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 (up to June 30, 2021).
Other Provisions
- Arrears of enhanced DA/DR from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024, will be considered for payment in installments after the liquidation of the 6th Punjab Pay Commission arrears. The government may consider early payment depending on the state's financial resources.
- The Director of Public Enterprises and Disinvestment will issue instructions for the payment of arrears to employees and pensioners of boards, corporations, and autonomous bodies.
- The decision to pay the arrears was made by the Council of Ministers in its meeting held on February 13, 2025, and was communicated by the Department of General Administration (Cabinet Affairs Branch).
Conclusion
The Punjab government's decision to pay the arrears of the 6th Punjab Pay Commission will benefit a large number of state government employees and pensioners. The phased payment plan will ensure that the financial burden is spread out over a period of time.
