Chandigarh: The SAD-BJP government in poll- bound Punjab today announced its decision to release arrears of Dearness Allowance (DA) to the employees and pensioners in cash.Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said the arrears of DA with effect from July 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 at the rate of 7 per cent and arrears with effect from January 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014 at the rate of 10 per cent shall be given to employees and pensioners of the state government in cash.Dhindsa said 50 per cet of the DA arrears from July 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 at the rate of 7 per cent shall be paid during the second quarter of financial year 2016-17 which is from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016 and pending 50 per cent of this arrears shall be paid during the third quarter of financial year 2016-17 –from October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

Likewise, the 50 per cent of the DA arrears from January 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015 at the rate of 10 per cent shall be paid during the fourth quarter of financial year which means from January 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017 and the rest of the 50 per cent of this arrears shall be paid during the first quarter of financial year 2017-18 which is from April 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017.

He said the notification in this regard has been issued today.

PTI